Rio Grande Sports Information
WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio - Kayla Sedgwick's two-out single in the top of the eighth inning snapped a 4-4 tie and gave the University of Rio Grande a game two victory and a doubleheader split with Shawnee State University, Wednesday evening, in River States Conference softball action at a chilly and damp Doc Singleton Park.
The RedStorm, who dropped the opening game, 1-0, finished the day at 26-8 overall and 14-4 in league play.
Shawnee State moved to 18-12 overall and 13-7 against RSC foes as a result of the split.
The Bears appeared primed to sweep their rivals from the north, despite blowing leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the nightcap.
A run-scoring groundout by Jenna Christopher in the home half of the fifth gave SSU its third lead of the day, 4-3.
Rio Grande came off the mat yet again, though, with a game-tying RBI double by junior Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) in the top of the seventh.
The RedStorm then took the lead in the eighth when freshman Lindzie Runions (Poca, WV) led off with a walk, was bunted into scoring position and, one out later, scored on a bloop single to center by Sedgwick, a junior from Richwood, Ohio.
Senior Hannah Beers (Springfield, OH), the last of three Rio pitchers, retired the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth before surrendering a single to center by Sydney Skiver, but the threat - and the game - ended moments later when Bianca Belo-Diaz popped out to second base to end the game.
Sophomore Maddie Engler (Crestline, OH) went 3-for-4 at the plate in the winning effort, while Sedgwick had two hits and Adams drove in two runs. All three had a double.
Beers picked up the win, allowing a hit and a walk over two scoreless innings in the circle.
Emma Wargel suffered the loss for Shawnee State in a route-going outing.
Six of the Bears' eight hits in the loss went for extra bases.
Emily Moore homered, doubled and drove in two runs for SSU, while Christopher, Mackenzie Hale, Cameryn Davidson and Emily Cheatham all had doubles. Christopher and Hale also drove in one run each.
Game one proved to be a pitcher's duel between Rio senior Madi Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) and Shawnee's Genavie Espinoza, with the duo combining to allow just five hits - three for the RedStorm and two for the Bears.
One of the two SSU hits was a fifth inning solo home run by Moore, just the second long ball allowed by Ogden in just over 380 batters faced this season.
Christopher also had a double for the Bears.
Espinoza scattered three singles and walked one, while fanning three in a complete game effort.
Ogden also went the distance for the RedStorm, allowing the two extra-base hits and a walk, while striking out five.
Rio Grande will return to action this weekend, hosting two more RSC twin bills at Rio Softball Park.
The RedStorm will entertain Midway University on Saturday before welcoming Indiana University Southeast in the RSC Games of the Week on Sunday.
First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. each day.
