ERIE, Pa. – The RMU softball team extended its win streak to five games as the Colonials secured two big wins over Mercyhurst to move to 12-6 overall, following a 4-0 weekend against the Lakers.
 
GAME 1: RMU 12, Mercyhurst 2 (5 INNINGS)
Just as they did yesterday, the Colonial offense exploded in game one, scoring 12 runs on 15 hits, led by Aglaia Rudd, who went 4-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
 
The Colonials struck first in the top of the first inning as Kaylyn Hopf started the game out with a triple to left field before coming home to score on a passed ball. With one out, Courtney Poulich hit a solo home run, her 10^th of the season, to put the Colonials up 2-0 going into the bottom of the first.
 
After a scoreless bottom half of the first inning, RMU got on the scoreboard again in the top of the second inning as Mackenzie Hoover reached first on an error by the first baseman and advanced to second. Camryn Harbold then put Hoover in scoring position following a groundout to the pitcher before Kaylyn Hopf lined out to center field, bringing in Hoover on the sacrifice, making it 3-0 in favor of the Colonials.
 
Mercyhurst avoided the shutout with a run of its own in the bottom of the second as a Mackenzie Gillins single to center field scored Braylynn Kelly, who had reached via a single to left field, to make it 3-1.
 
The Colonials, however, got that run back in the top of the third off an Aglaia Rudd homerun to lead off the inning to make it 4-1 before the Colonials exploded for three more runs in the top of the fourth following a scoreless third inning for the Lakers.
 
Kopf led off the fourth with a double to left field before coming around to score on an Eloise Facher triple to center field to make it 5-1 with no outs. Following a flyout by the Colonials, Mary Brant singled to shortstop before swiping second base to put runners on second and third for Rudd, who would pick up her second and third RBIs of the game as Rudd doubled to left field to score both Brant and Facher to make it 7-1.
 
The Lakers responded in the bottom of the fourth as Gillis reached base again on another single, before coming around to score on a Karlie Kasten double to left field to cut the Colonials' lead down to five.
 
RMU erupted for five more runs in the top of the fifth to enact the 10-run rule once again over Mercyhurst just as they did in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. Following a hit by pitch for Erynn Thompson and an error by left field that allowed Hoover to reach base, a double by Hopf with one out scored Mackenzie Hoover. Facher followed Hopf up with a triple to center field to score Hopf and Camryn Harbold, who had reached base via a fielder's choice following Hoover's at bat, to put the Colonials out front 10-2.
 
Poulich kept the inning alive with a single to right field to score Facher. Following Poulich's single, Mary Brant reached base on a walk, then Rudd loaded the bases with a single to right field. Following a fly-out, Marta Gualazzi entered the game as a pinch hitter for Thompson, where she reached base on a hit by pitch, bringing in Poulich to make it 12-2.
 
The Colonials held the Lakers scoreless in the bottom of the fifth to end the game via the run rules, giving RMU the 12-2 five-inning game one win.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Catcher Aglaia Rudd had a perfect performance at the plate, going 4-4 while driving in three RBIs and scoring a run.
• Kaylyn Hopf and Eloise Facher each went 3-4, with Facher recording three RBIs and two runs scored, while Hopf had three runs scored and two RBIs.
• As the DP, Courtney Poulich recorded her 10^th home run of the season, while going 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
• Kaitlyn Molitoris moved to 4-1 in the circle for the Colonials, going all 5.0 innings. Molitoris allowed just two runs on seven hits while striking out three batters.

 

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GAME TWO: RMU 15, Mercyhurst 4
RMU put on an offensive clinic in the second game of the doubleheader, with the Colonials scoring 15 runs on 12 hits, led by Brant, who completed the coveted cycle, going 4-4 with a single, double, triple, and a home run, along with tying a career-high with six RBIs.
 
The Colonials attacked first, picking up two quick runs in the top of the first as Mary Brant tripled to score Eloise Facher, who reached base on an error, and Courtney Poulich, who reached base via a hit by pitch.
 
In the bottom of the first, the Lakers would score all of their runs, scoring four runs on two hits and three errors by the Colonials.
 
In the top of the second, with Mackenzie Hoover standing on second via a walk and a passed ball, Camryn Harbold tied the game with one swing of the bat as the sophomore hit her first home run of the season, making it 4-4.
 
From then on out, it was all the Colonials as RMU put up 10 runs in the third and one more in the top of the fifth.
 
Courtney Poulich led the inning off with a hit by pitch before Brant sent a shot over the left field fence to put the Colonials out in front 6-4. The Colonials added another run, this time on another RBI from Harbold via a single to right field that scored Erynn Thompson, who had reached on a single to right field.
 
Kaylyn Hopf then reached first on an error to load the bases for Facher, who singled through the left side to score Robinson, who had reached on a single to left field. The bases remained loaded as Poulich drew a walk to score Harbold, making it 9-4.
 
Brant delivered again for the Colonials following Poulich's at bat, recording a double to left field to score both Facher and Hopf, both of which were unearned. Another double, this time by Katlyn Jardine, scored both Brant and Poulich to extend the lead to nine before Jardine would come around to score on the throw as Erin Thompson singled to left field to make it 14-4 at the end of the top of the third.
 
The Colonials tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fifth as Delaney O'Connor singled to third base with Courtney Poulich scoring on the throw after reaching base via a walk to begin the inning, giving the Colonials a 15-4 lead.
 
Sammmie Borrayo would get out of the fifth inning, allowing just a single, to enact the run rule, giving the Colonials the 15-4 win in five innings.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Mary Brant led the way for the Colonials offensively, going 4-4 with a single, double, triple, and home run while tying a career-high with a team-leading six RBIs.
• Camryn Harbold went 2-2 with three RBIs, featuring her first home run of the season.
• Despite not recording a hit, Poulich recorded four runs in game two after drawing two walks while reaching base via a hit by pitch twice.
• Sammie Borrayo moved to 3-2 on the season after going all 5.0 innings for the Colonials in the circle. Borrayo gave up four hits and four runs, despite none of them being earned, while securing six strikeouts in the win.

 

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WEEKEND RECAP

• The Colonials went 4-0 over the weekend against the Lakers, outscoring them 40-8.
• Courtney Poulich recorded her 100^th career RBI on Saturday afternoon in game one, delivering an RBI single through the left side in the third inning.
• Over the weekend, the Colonials recorded eight home runs and lead the conference with 34 on the season, with Poulich leading the way with her team- and conference-leading 10^th home run.
• The Colonials' 15 runs in game two of Sunday's doubleheader are the fifth-most runs scored by a Horizon League team this season.

 
UP NEXT
The Colonials were originally scheduled to host Kent State in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, but due to weather, the contest has been canceled. RMU will now begin conference play this coming Friday and Saturday as the Colonials host Green Bay for a three-game series at home. Friday will feature a single game starting at 3:00 p.m., while Saturday will be a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.