Rio Grande Sports Information
OWENSBORO, Ky. - What a difference a day makes.
After serving as the victim of a pair of late game rallies in Sunday's doubleheader loss at Oakland City University, the University of Rio Grande rebounded by rolling to a pair of wins over Brescia University, Monday afternoon, in River States Conference softball play at Fisher Park.
The RedStorm took game one, 7-0, before posting a mercy rule-shortened 10-2 victory in the nightcap.
Rio Grande finished the day at 10-6 overall and 2-2 in league play.
The Bearcats slipped to 2-10 overall and 1-3 in the RSC with the loss.
Game one saw junior pitcher Madison Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) scatter three hits - all singles - in a complete game shutout. She also walked one and struck out 11.
At the plate, redshirt sophomore Rylie Hughes (Wheelersburg, OH) was the straw that stirred the drink. She finished with three hits, including a two-run home run, and four runs batted in.
Ogden helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 with a double, while Natalie Bates added two hits - including the first home run of her collegiate career.
Katy Fisher started and took the loss for Brescia, allowing five hits and three runs - two earned - over four innings.
In the nightcap, Rio Grande grabbed an early lead with four second inning markers and then set themselves up for a mercy rule win by scoring three times in both the fourth and fifth frames.
The Bearcats did get on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the home fifth, but could not prevent the eight-run rule from being invoked.
Freshman Maddie Engler (Crestline, OH) was the offensive catalyst for head coach Chris Hammond's club, going 3-for-4 with five RBI. She drove in all three fifth inning runs with a bases-clearing double.
Hughes had two hits of her own and a run batted in, while sophomore Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) had a double and an RBI.
Senior Sydney Campolo (New Lexington, OH) got the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing six hits and the two runs over five innings. She struck out one.
Raini Gerometta started and lost for the Bearcats, allowing seven hits and seven runs - none earned - over 3-2/3 innings.
Brescia committed five errors in the contest, which led to eight of the 10 Rio runs being unearned.
Elizabeth Richey finished 2-for-2 in a losing cause, while Mikah Goeppner had a double and a run batted in.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Friday with another RSC twin bill at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio.
First pitch for the opener is set for 3 p.m.
