Ogden leads Rio in shutout of Mighty Oaks

Rio Grande Sports Information
     SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - University of Rio Grande junior pitcher Madison Ogden wasn't perfect, but she was pretty darn close.
     The Williamsburg, Ohio native allowed a leadoff single before retiring the final 21 batters she faced in a 2-0 win over Oakland City University in the opening round of the River States Conference Softball Championship, Thursday afternoon, at Little Creek Park.
     Rio Grande, the No. 2 seed from the RSC East Division, improved to 30-17 as a result of the victory and will face Point Park University in winner's bracket play on Friday, at 10 a.m.
     The Pioneers surprised RSC regular season champion Indiana University Southeast in another of Thursday's opening round game.
     Oakland City, which swept a doubleheader from Rio Grande in their regular season meeting, fell to 28-21 with the loss.
     Later in the day, the Mighty Oaks dropped a 4-2 decision to IUS in an elimination contest.
     The story of Thursday's tourney opener, though, was Ogden.
     After surrendering a clean single to left field by Oakland City leadoff hitter Kasey Wood, the right-hander was perfect and recorded a career-high 15 strikeouts among the 21 consecutive outs to close out the contest and earn her 15th win in 23 decisions.
     Ogden also helped her own cause at the plate, going 2-for-3 and scoring both of the RedStorm's two runs.
     Her two-out, third inning home run snapped a scoreless tie. She then doubled with one out in the sixth inning and scored on consecutive singles by junior Peyton Young (Mt. Orab, OH) and sophomore Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH).
     Madison Shipley started and was the hard-luck loser for Oakland City, allowing six hits and the two runs over 5-1/3 innings. She walked two and fanned three.