April 27, 2010
RedStorm drops a pair to archrival Shawnee State
West Portsmouth, OH --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon to archrival Shawnee State at Boone Coleman Field in the regular season finale. Rio lost game one, 4-2 in 10 innings in walk-off fashion and was blanked 1-0 in game two.
Rio Grande (29-21) managed only one hit in the game one defeat as the offense was next to non-existent against Shawnee State pitching.
Junior shortstop Amber Bowman (Hebron, OH) had the only hit for Rio and it came in the ninth inning. After two runners had reached base on errors, Bowman doubled home both runs to give Rio Grande a 2-0 lead and a seemingly sure-fire victory.
However, it was not to be as Shawnee State (24-21) answered with two runs in the bottom of the ninth off Rio starter and tough luck loser Anna Smith (Ross, OH), who is the reigning Mid-South Conference Pitcher of the Week. Smith (16-14) allowed three doubles in the bottom half of the inning that tied the game at 2-2. Smith's line for the game read nine innings, nine hits, four runs, nine strikeouts and five walks.
SSU would win the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 10th inning on a two-run home run from Brooke Baker. Baker had a big game, collecting three of the nine Lady Bear safeties.
Katie Daniel (11-12) went the distance to get the win for Shawnee State. She allowed one hit and two unearned runs in 10 innings, posting nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Game two was a close encounter with Rio Grande tallying four hits while Shawnee State registered only three.
Shawnee scratched out a run in the bottom of the second inning and made it stand up for the doubleheader sweep of Rio Grande. Sam Attinger reached on an error to start the frame. One out later she stole second and then scored on a base hit off the bat of Ashley Speas.
Freshman centerfielder Jessica Gall (Mount Vernon, OH) was 1-for-2 with a stolen base to lead Rio Grande. Freshman designated hitter Mackenzie Rucker (Proctorville, OH), sophomore first baseman Chelsie Brooks (North Lewisburg, OH) and freshman second baseman Katie Fuller (Hamilton, OH) were all 1-for-3.
Sophomore hurler Allison Mills (West Chester, OH) deserved a better fate as she lost the pitcher's duel with Shawnee's Ali Thompson. Mills (13-6) allowed three hits and one unearned run in six innings of pitching. She fanned two and walked one.
Thompson (13-9) blanked the RedStorm on four hits while striking out three and walking one.
Rio Grande and Shawnee State split the season series with each school sweeping a doubleheader at home.
The RedStorm are the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Mid-South Conference Tournament and will square off with No. 5 Cumberlands (KY) in the first round on Friday (April 30) at 12 p.m. Rio and Cumberlands split the season series at two games apiece.
