Rio Grande Sports Information
MIDWAY, Ky. - Seventh inning surges decided both ends of the University of Rio Grande's doubleheader with Midway University on Friday afternoon.
The first went in favor of the RedStorm. The second, unfortunately, did not.
Head coach Chris Hammond's team used an eight-run uprising in their final at bat to secure an 11-2 win in the opening game, while a four-run rally in game two was erased by a furious comeback in the bottom of the seventh which produced a 9-8 win for the Eagles in River States Conference softball action at William G. Clark Memorial Field.
The split left Rio Grande at 13-5 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
Midway closed the day at 5-15 overall and 1-7 in the RSC.
Game one saw the host Eagles take a 2-0 first inning lead before the RedStorm tied the game in the fourth and then took the lead with a fifth inning run.
That's how things stayed until Rio blew things open with the eight-run seventh.
Sophomores Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) and Trinity Davis (Hartsville, SC) had the big hits in the rally, recording a two-run double and a two-run triple, respectively.
Junior Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) finished 3-for-5 with a run batted in, while freshman Delana Landefeld (Williamsport, OH) had three hits of her own, freshman Madison Brentlinger (Indian Lake, OH) went 2-for-4 with a run batted in and senior Megan Bazler (Portsmouth, OH) had a double and an RBI.
Senior Madison Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) picked up her seventh win in 10 decisions, allowing four hits and just one earned run with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Breanna Beach, the second of three Midway pitchers, took the loss after allowing four hits and four runs over three innings.
Madison Hill had two of the Eagles' four hits and Sierra Bittner drove in both runs.
The nightcap saw Midway use a four-run fourth inning to rally for a 6-4 advantage, but Rio Grande countered with four runs in the seventh - two on a single by Reck and two on a double by Sedgwick - to grab an 8-6 edge.
The lead didn't last long.
Hill started the rally with a leadoff single and, one out later, moved to third on a single by Sawyer Snodgrass. Pinch-runner Lana Maupin followed with a steal of second, with a throwing error on the same play allowing Hill to score and make it 8-7.
Maupin scored the tying run moments later thanks to a throwing error on Kennadi Thompson's fielder's choice grounder to shortstop.
After Bittner struck out, Sydney Apling was hit by a pitch before Autumn Wampler plated the game-winner with a single to right.
Bittner finished 2-for-4, while Ryann Berger was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Thompson also doubled and drove in two and Tenley Gilbert had two RBI of her own.
For Rio Grande, Sedgwick was 3-for-5 with a double, while Bazler and Brentlinger had two hits each. Junior Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) added a pair of runs batted in.
Junior Meg McCallum (Belmont, Ontario, Canada), the last of three RedStorm pitchers, took the loss. She allowed three hits and three runs - all unearned - over 2-1/3 innings.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader against West Virginia University Tech at Little Creek Park in South Charleston, W.Va.
First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m.
