DETROIT – Facing an 11-4 deficit after five innings, RMU erupted for eight runs across the final two frames to complete a thrilling 12-11 comeback victory in game one of its series at Detroit Mercy. The Colonials improve to 25-16 overall and 9-7 in Horizon League play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
RMU wasted no time jumping ahead, as
Kaylyn Hopf opened the game with a walk and
Eloise Facher followed with her first of three doubles.
Aglaia Rudd capitalized, launching a three-run homer to give the Colonials an early 3-0 edge.
Detroit Mercy quickly answered, stringing together five hits and five runs in the bottom of the first to take a 5-3 lead. The Titans added another run in the second to extend their advantage.
Rudd worked a leadoff walk in the fourth and later came around to score on an RBI single from
Sequoia Dunlap, trimming the deficit. However, Detroit Mercy responded again, adding a solo home run in the bottom half before breaking the game open with four more runs in the fifth to build an 11-4 lead.
RMU's offense flipped the script in the sixth. Back-to-back doubles from the top of the order set the tone, with Facher driving in Hopf to spark the rally. After a pitching change,
Courtney Poulich ignited the comeback with a home run, and Rudd followed immediately with her second homer of the game to pull RMU within three.
The momentum continued as
Alivia Hare drew a walk and Dunlap was hit by a pitch. Freshman
Erynn Thompson delivered an RBI single, and
Katlyn Jardine added a run on a groundout to make it 11-10.
Kaitlyn Molitoris entered in the bottom of the sixth and shut down the Titans, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Facher led off the seventh with her third double of the game, and moments later, Poulich delivered the decisive blow—crushing her second home run to left field to give RMU a 12-11 lead and cap a seven-run comeback.
Molitoris closed the door in the bottom half, retiring all three batters to secure the victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Both teams finished with 15 hits, with Facher, Poulich, and Mary Brant each recording three.
- Facher and Rudd scored three runs apiece, while Rudd and Poulich each drove in four.
- Alivia Hare drew a season-high three walks and scored once, while Brant led the defense with three assists at third base.
- RMU utilized four pitchers in the win. Madison Brown started and allowed five runs in the first inning, while Madelyn Coleman tossed 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and surpassed 200 career strikeouts. Sammie Borrayo recorded two outs in relief before Molitoris dominated the final two innings, striking out three to earn her eighth win of the season.
POULICH'S LATEST RECORDS
Poulich continued her historic season, driving in four runs to bring her total to 82—breaking a 27-year-old Horizon League single-season RBI record. She also became RMU's all-time runs leader with 131 in her career.
The Greensburg, Pa. native now owns 155 career RBIs and 46 home runs, leading the Horizon League this season in RBIs (82), home runs (24), and runs scored (67). Saturday marked her eighth career multi-home run game.
TEAM RECORD
With five doubles on the day, RMU surpassed its previous single-season program record (79) and now has 83. Four Colonials have reached double-digit doubles this season: Rudd (15), Facher (14), Poulich (10), and Brant (10).
TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Ellie Facher turned in a career day, recording three doubles. She ranks among the Horizon League leaders in multiple categories, including batting average (.434), slugging percentage (.800), runs (51), hits (63), RBIs (50), and triples (6).
RUDD GOES YARD TWICE
Rudd recorded her fourth multi-home run game of the season, bringing her totals to 17 home runs this year and 24 for her career. She continues to lead the conference with a .551 batting average, ranking third nationally.
UP NEXT
RMU will close out the regular season with a doubleheader at Detroit Mercy tomorrow beginning at 12:00 PM. Both games will stream live on ESPN+.
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