Rio Grande Sports Information
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - After watching his starting pitcher come within three outs of a perfect game in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against West Virginia University Tech, University of Rio Grande head softball coach Chris Hammond knew who to turn to when the Golden Bears mounted a seventh inning rally in hopes of claiming a game two win and a split of their River States Conference twin bill.
As things turned out, Madi Ogden proved her coach's hunch correct.
The Williamsburg, Ohio senior recorded the final two outs of the day, stranding the would-be tying runs in scoring position and securing a 4-2 victory and a sweep of the day's action at Little Creek Park's "The Rock".
Rio Grande, which cruised to a 6-0 win in game one, improved to 15-5 overall and 7-1 in league play.
WVU-Tech slipped to 2-16 overall and 2-6 in the RSC as a result of the losses.
Ogden, who retired the first 18 batters she faced in the opener before surrendering a leadoff single to Tech's Ashleigh James in the seventh, entered game two with her team sporting a two-run lead in the bottom of the seventh and runners at first and second base.
The right-hander induced James to ground out to third base, with both runners moving into scoring position, before retiring Hailea Skeens on a routine grounder to shortstop to end the game.
Rio Grande took a first inning lead on a run-scoring double by junior Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) and then extended its advantage to 3-0 in the second inning thanks to a run-scoring hit by junior Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) and a bases-loaded walk to Adams.
The Golden Bears got one of the runs back in the home second on an RBI double by Tori Wells, but a sacrifice fly by Ogden in the fourth restored the three-run advantage.
Tech's Macy Wilkens cracked a solo home run in the sixth inning to close the gap to 4-2 and set up the dramatic finish.
Sedgwick finished 2-for-3 with a triple in the win, while sophomore Maddie Engler (Crestline, OH) also had a triple and sophomore Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) had a double.
Junior Meg McCallum (Belmont, Ontario, Canada) started and earned her second win in three decisions for the RedStorm, allowing five hits and two runs over 5-1/3 innings.
The save was Ogden's second of the year.
Taylor Scott started and lost for WVU Tech, allowing six hits, four walks and four runs over 5-1/3 innings.
Wells finished 2-for-3 in the loss, while Olivia Barnett had a double.
The opening contest was a game-long showcase of Ogden, who struck out 15 - including the first six batters and 10 of the first 12 hitters - in the shutout effort.
Rio scored what proved to be the only run it would need on an RBI single by senior Megan Bazler (Portsmouth, OH) in the third inning.
Run-scoring doubles by Sedgwick and Ogden and an RBI hit by Adams extended the lead to 4-0 in the fourth and a solo home run by Adams in the sixth set the final score.
Sedgwick finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Adams also went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Ogden and Reck had two hits each in the win.
James started and went the distance in the loss for the Bears.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Friday when Brescia University visits for another RSC doubleheader.
First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m. at Rio Softball Park.
