ROCHESTER, Mich. – The RMU softball team dropped its first series of the season, falling in two of three games at Oakland. The Colonials now stand at 16-8 overall with a 4-2 mark in Horizon League play.
GAME 1: Oakland 11, RMU 7
RMU's offense came out firing, plating five runs in the top of the first inning to take early control.
Kaylyn Hopf drew a leadoff walk before
Eloise Facher reached on an error.
Courtney Poulich capitalized with a three-run home run to give the Colonials a 3-0 advantage.
Sequoia Dunlap followed with a single up the middle, setting the stage for
Mary Brant, who launched a two-run shot to deep left field to extend the lead to 5-0.
Oakland responded immediately, however, erupting for six runs in the bottom of the first to flip the momentum and take the lead.
The Colonials answered in the second inning, tying the game at 6-6 after Poulich reached on an error that allowed Hopf to score an unearned run.
Following a scoreless third, the Golden Grizzlies regained the lead with a solo home run in the fourth. Oakland then created separation in the sixth, adding four runs to push the score to 11-6.
RMU managed to plate one more run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by
Alivia Hare, but the comeback fell short in an 11-7 loss.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Oakland outhit RMU, 13-5, while committing four errors compared to three by the Colonials.
- Poulich led the offense with three RBI, while Hopf scored a team-high two runs.
- RMU drew four walks in the contest.
- In the circle, Sammie Borrayo started and allowed five earned runs. Madelyn Coleman tossed 5.1 innings in relief and was charged with the loss after giving up five earned runs. Madison Brown recorded the final out in the sixth.
GAME 2: Oakland 6, RMU 3
In a much tighter contest, both teams were held scoreless until the fourth inning.
Facher sparked the Colonials in the top half with a leadoff double to left field before Poulich drove her in with a single up the middle to open the scoring.
Junior
Kaitlyn Molitoris carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Oakland broke through with back-to-back hits to even the game.
RMU regained the lead in the fifth, loading the bases on consecutive hits from
Erynn Thompson,
Katlyn Jardine, and Hopf. Facher delivered an RBI single, followed by another run-scoring single from Poulich to give RMU a 3-1 advantage.
Oakland answered in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together three straight singles to cut into the deficit before a throwing error tied the game. A sacrifice fly and RBI double later in the inning gave the Golden Grizzlies a 6-3 lead.
The Colonials recorded two hits in the seventh but were unable to rally, falling 6-3 and dropping the series.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- RMU outhit Oakland, 11-8, and committed one error.
- Hopf paced the offense with three hits, while Poulich drove in two runs.
- Dunlap added two assists defensively.
- Molitoris went five innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out two. Brown took the loss after surrendering two earned runs in one inning of relief.
HOME RUN QUEEN
RMU has a new home run leader in the record book, as Poulich blasted her 36th career home run during the series. The senior slugger now has 14 home runs this season, closing in on her single-season record of 16 set last year. Poulich has also scored 43 runs this season, just two shy of matching her total from a year ago.
For her career, she has compiled 111 RBI, 110 hits, and 107 runs scored, with an impressive 32.7% of her hits going for home runs.
UP NEXT
RMU returns to non-conference action with a midweek doubleheader at Saint Francis U on Wednesday, April 1. First pitch is set for 2:00 PM, with both games streaming live on NEC Front Row.
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