March 12, 2010

RedStorm softball drops double dip at home

Rio Grande --- It was a tough afternoon for the University of Rio Grande RedStorm softball team on Friday as they played host to Fairmont State. The RedStorm dropped both ends of the twinbill, 6-2 and 7-5. 

Rio Grande (4-2) just could not get any offense going in game one as they were held to only three hits until the seventh inning. Rio Grande was no-hit until the fourth inning when senior centerfielder Leah Hamman (Lexington, OH) hit a solo home run to make the score 3-1. It was the first long ball of the season for Hamman. Rio would score one run in the seventh after three hits, but it wasn't enough.

In addition to Hamman, sophomore first baseman Chelsie Brooks (North Lewisburg, OH) drove in the other run with a base hit in the seventh. 

Sophomore hurler Anna Smith (Ross, OH) suffered her first loss of the season. Smith (3-1) allowed nine hits and six runs (four earned) in seven innings. She struck out six and walked four. 

Brittany Tallhamer had the big day for the Fighting Falcons (5-8) as she went 3-for-3 with two RBI's and a home run in the first game. Elizabeth Derrick went 2-for-2 and scored two runs and Brooke Keene added two hits and drove in a run for Fairmont State. 

Chelsea Cobb went the distance to get the win for Fairmont. She scattered six hits and allowed two runs with seven strikeouts and three walks. 

Rio Grande started well in game two, scoring four runs in the opening inning, but the defense would let the RedStorm down later and prove extremely costly in the loss. Junior shortstop Amber Bowman (Hebron, OH) was 1-for-4 with an RBI to start the scoring and Brooks delivered a big two-run double in the four-run first. Sophomore second sacker Stevie Sharp (Grayson, KY) also had an RBI double. 

The four runs chased Fairmont State starter Katie Burgess after 1/3 of an inning. Sarah Zeleznikar relieved Burgess and slammed on the door on the Rio offense. She allowed three hits the rest of the way and only one run. She did manage to walk six batters and registered one strikeout. 

Zeleznikar helped her own cause at the plate as she went 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in game two. 

The Fighting Falcons rallied to take the lead with five unearned runs in the fourth inning. All five runs were scored with two outs. Back-to-back errors and a couple of free passes by pitcher Allison Mills (West Chester, OH) led to the debacle. 

Kayla Gray delivered a big two RBI hit in the fateful fourth frame.  Kim Owens put the Fighting Falcons ahead with an opposite field two-base hit. 

Rio tied the game at 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman centerfielder Jessica Gall (Mount Vernon, OH) scored from third on a wild pitch.

Fairmont State answered with two runs in the top of the fifth inning on base hits by Keene and Zeleznikar. Fairmont State would not trail again in the game. 

Mills (1-1) deserved a better fate as she absorbed the loss in the route going performance. Mills gave up nine hits and seven runs (two earned) with three strikeouts and six walks. 

"Today wasn't a good day all the way around," said Rio Grande head coach David Pyles. "The first game, offensively we didn't do anything until late in the game, we got down too much and then couldn't come back."

"The second game, our defense just let us down," Pyles added. "We just absolutely played horrible defense, no ifs, ands or buts about it, the inning that they had four or five runs we should have been out of."

"Fortunately today was a non-conference game and we got some people playing, got some kids some at-bats that needed to get some at-bats, but overall it wasn't a good day," Pyles said. 

Pyles is hoping that some lessons can be learned from the sweep. "That's what you want to do from a day like today," he said. "Hopefully you learn some lessons and don't make those mistakes again."

Rio Grande will journey south to take on Pikeville College in Mid-South Conference action on Saturday. Game one is set to begin at 1 p.m.