YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The RMU softball team picked up a split on the road Wednesday afternoon, taking the first game against Youngstown State in dominant fashion, 11-3, before falling in a hard-fought second game, 7-4. The Colonials now sit at 18-11 overall and 10-3 in Horizon League play.
GAME 1: RMU 11, YSU 3 (5 innings)
RMU wasted no time getting on the board in the opener. Leadoff hitter
Kaylyn Hopf drew a walk and was driven in by
Mary Brant—playing in her hometown—on an RBI single to give the Colonials an early 1-0 lead. After a scoreless second, the Penguins tied the game in the bottom of the third.
That tie didn't last long. RMU's offense erupted over the next two frames, scoring five runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.
Jess Matheny kickstarted the rally with a solo home run to dead center.
Sequoia Dunlap followed with a walk and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, setting up
Logan Black, who singled to bring her home. Hopf and
Courtney Poulich each followed with hits, with Poulich driving in two more runs. Brant was eventually caught in a rundown, but it allowed Poulich to score and make it 6-1.
YSU answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but RMU kept its foot on the gas. In the fifth,
Alaina Koutsogiani walked and stole second, and Matheny brought her home with a double. After
Katlyn Jardine worked a walk, Hopf and
Anna Resnik knocked in consecutive runs with RBI singles. Poulich capped the scoring with a two-run triple off the right field wall, pushing the lead to 11-3.
Madison DeVault handled business in the circle, tossing a complete game to earn her seventh win of the season. She allowed just one earned run and struck out two across five innings as RMU secured the run-rule victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- RMU outhit YSU 10-4 and worked seven walks compared to Youngstown's zero. Brant and Jardine both finished with two walks.
- Hopf, Resnik, Poulich and Matheny all registered multi-hit games with Hopf recording a team-high three runs.
- Poulich produced her eighth multi-RBI game of the season and her fourth performance with 4+ RBI.
GAME 2: YSU 7, RMU 4
The Penguins struck early in the nightcap, scoring once in each of the first two innings. RMU managed just two hits through the early frames and struggled to generate offense.
YSU took control in the fifth, loading the bases before Taylor Truran launched a grand slam to left-center, pushing the lead to 6-0. On the next at-bat, Kami Diaz added a solo home run to extend the advantage to 7-0.
RMU put together a late rally in the seventh. Poulich and Brant started the inning with singles, and Koutsogiani reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Dunlap drew a walk to push across a run, and Jardine followed with an RBI single.
Black added another RBI, and a wild pitch allowed a fourth run to score. However, the comeback ultimately came up short as the Colonials fell 7-4.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Brant notched another multi-hit game in her hometown, while Dunlap, Jardine, and Black each drove in a run.
- In the circle,
Madelyn Coleman started and struck out five in 4.2 innings but allowed five earned runs.
Kailani Tatro allowed two in relief, and
Kaitlyn Molitoris closed out the game with 1.1 hitless innings.
KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE
Three Colonials continued impressive consistency at the plate. Brant extended her hitting streak to 11 games, while
Anna Resnik has now reached base in 17 straight. Poulich, meanwhile, has reached safely in 15 consecutive games.
UP NEXT
The Colonials will wrap up their three-game series at Youngstown State tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 PM.
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