Rio Grande Sports Information
NEW ALBANY, Ind. - The University of Rio Grande rebounded from a disappointing game one loss by banging out a season-high 20 hits en route to a 13-2 mercy rule-shortened game two win over Indiana University Southeast, Friday afternoon, in River States Conference softball play at the Koetter Sports Complex.
The victory came after the host Grenadiers took game one, 9-6, scoring six times in the home half of the sixth inning to snap a 3-3 tie.
Rio Grande finished the day at 20-14 overall and 10-6 in conference play.
The split left IU Southeast at 17-11 overall and 10-2 inside the RSC.
Rio Grande grabbed a 3-0 first inning lead in the nightcap and led 4-2 before scoring three times in the fifth and six times in the sixth to invoke the eight-run mercy rule.
Sophomore Peyton Young (Mt. Orab, OH) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning, while junior Caitlyn Brisker (Oak Hill, OH) and freshman Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH) both had run-scoring doubles in the sixth inning.
Senior Christen Risner (Wheelersburg, OH) added a two-run single in the sixth, while junior Lexi Carnahan (Felicity, OH) and sophomore Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, OH) also had RBI singles in the rally.
Brisker finished 3-for-4 with a triple, a double and three RBI, while Adams was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
Sturgill and freshman Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) also had three hits and a run batted in apiece, while freshman Madison Perry (Portsmouth, OH) finished 3-for-4 and Young was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI.
Carnahan also had two hits in the winning effort.
Junior Kali Brickman (Huber Heights, OH) picked up the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing seven hits and two runs - both on solo home runs - over six innings.
McKenzie Rice started and took the loss for IUS, surrendering eight hits and three runs over three innings.
Kendall Brown and Autumn Oehlstrom both went 2-for-3 with a home run for the Grenadiers.
In game one, Rio Grande coughed up a 2-0 first inning lead before scoring once in the top of the sixth to knot the score at 3-all.
The Grenadiers blew things open, though, by scoring six times in the bottom of the sixth for a 9-3.
The RedStorm made things interesting in the seventh by scoring three times and had the would-be tying run in the on-deck circle when the final out was recorded.
Brown had three hits and drove in a run to lead the IUS offensive attack, with Cassi Roman and Savannah Gaither each collecting two hits and driving in two runs.
Erin Templeman also went 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in, while Oehlstrom finished with two RBI and Taylor Hoggatt had a double.
Madison Wathen went the distance for her eight win in 11 decisions, allowing eight hits and six runs with a walk and five strikeouts.
Junior Sydney Campolo started and lost for Rio, allowing 11 hits and eight runs - seven earned - over 5-1/3 innings.
At the plate, Sedgwick finished 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI to lead the RedStorm.
Brisker had two hits, including a triple, and drove in a run, while Sturgill also had two hits and a run batted in and freshman Lexi Thompson (Shelby, OH) contributed a double in the loss.
Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday at Brescia University.
First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT at Kamuf Park in Owensboro, Ky.
