Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande opened its 2023 River States Conference softball schedule in successful fashion and extended its overall winning streak to six straight on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Alice Lloyd College at a frigid Rio Softball Park.
The RedStorm parlayed a strong pitching performance from Sydney Campolo into a 5-2 game one triumph, while Gabby Adams and Boo Sturgill had big days at the plate to fuel a 9-3 victory in the nightcap.
Rio Grande improved to 10-8 overall and 2-0 in the RSC with the sweep.
Alice Lloyd finished the day at 4-8 overall and 0-2 in league play.
In Saturday's opener, Campolo - a junior from New Lexington, Ohio - scattered seven hits and three walks in a complete game effort, fanning a season-high 11 batters in the process.
Rio Grande jumped to a 2-0 second inning lead on a sacrifice fly by junior Lexi Carnahan (Felicity, OH) and a throwing error and extended its cushion to 3-0 in the fifth on the second home run of the season by freshman Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH).
The Eagles ended Campolo's bid for a shutout and made things interesting for a bit thanks to a two-out, two-run pinch-hit double by Aspyn Branham in the top of the sixth, but the RedStorm got the runs back in the bottom of the frame on a two-run single by Adams, a freshman from Grove City, Ohio.
Freshman Lexi Thompson (Shelby, OH) had two hits in the winning effort for Rio Grande.
Lyndsey Adkins and Rachael Rife had two hits each in a losing cause for Alice Lloyd.
Maleigh McDaniel started and lost for the Eagles, allowing seven hits and five runs - three earned - over 5-1/3 innings.
In game two, Adams highlighted a three-run first inning for the RedStorm with a two-run single and added another two-run single in a three-run fourth inning.
Sturgill, a sophomore from Wheelersburg, Ohio had two hits of her own, including a two-run home run in the sixth inning to set the final score. She also doubled in addition to delivering a sacrifice fly in the three-run fourth.
Junior Caitlyn Brisker (Oak Hill, OH) also had two hits and drove in a run for Rio Grande.
Junior Kali Brickman (Huber Heights, OH) earned the win in relief, scattering five hits and allowing one run over 3-2/3 innings.
ALC starter Baylee Cox, the first of four pitchers for the Eagles, suffered the loss after allowing nine hits and seven runs in three innings.
Adkins went 3-for-4 at the plate in a losing cause, while McDaniel was 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in.
Alexis Morris also doubled for Alice Lloyd.
Rio Grande returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts the University of Northwestern Ohio in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
