Rio Grande Sports Information
NEW ALBANY, Ind. - The University of Rio Grande pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning to rally for a 5-3 game two victory and doubleheader sweep of host Indiana University Southeast, Thursday afternoon, in River States Conference softball play at the Koetter Sports Softball Complex.
The twin bill was shifted from Saturday to Thursday due to the forecast of inclement weather.
The RedStorm, who recorded a 3-1 win in the opening game, moved to 12-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play with the two wins.
IU Southeast, which coughed up a 3-0 first inning lead in the nightcap, slipped to 9-7 overall and 5-3 in the RSC.
Rio's winning rally in game two began when junior Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) led off the eighth inning with a single and was replaced at first by freshman pinch-runner Delana Wright (Pomeroy, OH).
Wright promptly stole second and rode home on a single to right by senior Megan Bazler (Portsmouth, OH) to snap a 3-all deadlock.
Freshman Madison Brentlinger (Indian Lake, OH) then reached on a bunt single with freshman Emily Lane (Charlotte, NC), who was pinch-running for Bazler, staying put at second base. Sophomore Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) followed with a groundball to second base which Southeast's Alaina Winzeler made a diving stop on for a force out of Brentlinger, but Lane scored all the way from second base on the play to make it 5-3.
The Grenadiers got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning when Brynlea Bennett led off with a triple to right and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Lillian Mackey, but Rio senior reliever Hannah Beers (Springfield, OH) retired each of the next two batters routinely to nail down the win.
IUS grabbed its early lead on sacrifice flies by Sofia Guy and McKenzie Walters and an RBI double by Kaitlyn Leister, but the RedStorm tied the game on a run-scoring hit by Adams and a two-run double by Bazler.
Adams finished 3-for-4, while Bazler, Brentlinger and freshman Delana Landefeld (Williamsport, OH) all had two hits each in the winning effort.
Beers got the win, allowing two hits and a run over three innings.
Hannah Nunemaker was the hard-luck loser for Southeast, allowing five hits and two runs over three innings of relief.
Bennett had two hits in the loss for the Grenadiers.
In the opener, Rio Grande also spotted its host a first inning lead before tying the game in the second inning and added the go-ahead run in the sixth and an insurance marker in the seventh.
Reck drove in the tying run with a single, while Bazler plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and sophomore Maddie Engler (Crestline, OH) knocked in the insurance run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly of her own.
Senior Madi Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) earned the win in the circle for the RedStorm, allowing four hits, two walks and a run with eight strikeouts.
Reck finished 3-for-3, while junior Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) had two hits and Ogden doubled in the victory.
Guy drove in the lone IUS run.
Emma Davis took the loss for the Grenadiers, allowing six hits and the three runs - only one of which was earned - in a complete game effort.
Rio Grande will wrap up its weekend road swing on Friday at Midway University. First pitch for game one of the doubleheader with the Eagles is set for 1 p.m.
