March 10, 2010

RedStorm softball sweeps WVU Tech

Charleston, WV --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm softball team remained unbeaten in the early portion of the 2010 season with a doubleheader sweep of West Virginia Tech on Tuesday evening at Capital High School in Charleston, WV. Rio won the first game 12-0 in six innings behind the masterful pitching of sophomore Anna Smith and took game two in extra innings by an 8-3 score.

Rio Grande (4-0, 2-0 MSC), with the wins, starts Mid-South Conference play off on the right foot. 

Smith (3-0) followed up her one-hit shutout on Sunday versus OSU-Newark with another one-hitter against the Golden Bears in the opener. Ali Holmes led off the game for WVU Tech (6-11, 0-2 MSC) with a double and Smith then slammed the door as WVU Tech had only one other base runner in the game after that and she reached on an error. 

Smith had 10 strikeouts and did not walk a batter. 

"Anna threw another great game, another one-hitter," said Rio Grande head coach David Pyles. "She gave up that lead-off hit and didn't allow anything after that."

Smith also helped her cause at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Senior centerfielder Leah Hamman (Lexington, OH) had a big game for the RedStorm offensively, going 4-for-5 with three RBI's and a stolen base. Freshman third baseman Jaymie Rector (Heath, OH) went 2-for-5, scored two runs, knocked in three and swiped a pair of bases while freshman designated hitter Mackenzie Rucker (Proctorville, OH) collected two hits in four at-bats, scored three runs and knocked in two. 

Senior catcher Kaylyn Heading (Hilliard, OH) also collected an RBI hit.

Game two looked to be more of the same as Rio Grande vaulted out to a 3-0 lead with two runs in the second inning and one more in the third. But the lead was short-lived as WVU Tech responded with three runs in the fourth inning to tie the game. 

The game went into extra innings and Rio put it away with five runs in the top of the eighth to win 8-3. Smith picked up the win in relief as she pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing only one walk. She struck out eight batters. 

Freshman leftfielder Kaitie Stewart (Pleasant Hill, OH) was the top offensive performer for the RedStorm in game two as she produced three hits in four at-bats with a double, a run scored and two RBI's. Sophomore first baseman Chelsie Brooks (N. Lewisburg, OH) went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and a run batted in.

Hamman, Heading and junior shortstop Amber Bowman (Hebron, OH) each added two hits. Bowman scored two runs and had one RBI. Hamman had a run scored and an RBI. Both of Heading's safeties were of the two-base variety.

WVU Tech had only three hits, one of which was a two-run home run off the bat of Stephanie Nickell in the three-run fourth inning that tied the game. 

"Allison (Mills) started and I had to bring Anna in the fourth after they tied it and she was lights out," Pyles said. "We went to extra innings and had to go to the international tie-breaker (a runner begins the inning at second base) and we scored five runs to win the game."

"I was pleased with our effort and it's a good start for us in the conference," Pyles added. 

Rio Grande will step out of conference on Friday afternoon to face off with Fairmont State at home. Game one is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at 12:55 p.m.