ROCHESTER, Mich. – With the game tied at 4-4 after five innings, the Colonials delivered in the clutch, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth to secure a 7-5 victory over Oakland in the series opener. With the win, RMU improves to 16-6 overall and remains unbeaten in Horizon League play at 4-0, extending its win streak to nine games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RMU wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard, as
Eloise Facher drew a walk before
Courtney Poulich launched a two-run home run to give the Colonials an early 2-0 advantage.
Oakland answered in identical fashion in the bottom half, with Maggie Murphy connecting on a two-run homer to even the score.
After a scoreless second inning, RMU regained the lead in the third.
Mary Brant worked a walk and later came around to score on an RBI double to right field by
Aglaia Rudd, making it 3-2.
The Colonials added to their lead in the fifth inning when Brant crushed a solo home run to push the advantage to 4-2.
Oakland responded in the bottom of the frame, first cutting the deficit to one with an RBI single before drawing a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 4-4.
In the sixth inning, RMU's offense delivered with two outs.
Katlyn Jardine sparked the rally with a double down the left field line, and
Kaylyn Hopf followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Jardine, moving to second on the throw.
Facher then singled home Hopf, and Poulich kept the rally alive with a base hit. Brant capped the inning with an RBI single, giving RMU a 7-4 lead.
Oakland made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a run and loading the bases with two outs, but the Colonials recorded the final out to secure the 7-5 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- RMU held a narrow 11-10 edge in hits, with Brant, Hopf and Poulich each recording two hits.
- Brant and Facher paced the offense with two runs scored apiece, while Brant and Poulich each drove in two runs.
- Sequoia Dunlap contributed defensively with three assists at shortstop.
- In the circle, Kaitlyn Molitoris started and tossed 4.2 innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out two.
- Sophomore Madison Brown earned her fifth win of the season, closing out the final 2.1 innings and surrendering just one earned run.
PROGRAM RECORD TIED
With her home run in the first inning,
Courtney Poulich tied Kali Byers (2003-06) for the program record with 35 career home runs and now sits just one shy of claiming the record outright.
Poulich also continues to close in on her own single-season marks. After posting 45 runs scored and 16 home runs in 2025, she already has 42 runs and 13 home runs through RMU's first 22 games this season.
QUOTABLE
"It was good to get the W today and still put up seven with a lot of runners left on base against one of the better pitchers in the Horizon League," said head coach
Jexx Varner. "
Madison Brown did another good job of coming in and locking things down. Looking forward to getting back after it tomorrow in some warmer weather."
UP NEXT
RMU will look to clinch the series against Oakland tomorrow, with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM. Both games will stream live on ESPN+.
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