Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - For the longest time, it appeared as if the University of Rio Grande softball team's recent trend of "win one, lose one" was going to happen yet again.
But the RedStorm excited their fans - and stunned visiting Ohio Christian University - with a little bit of late-game drama.
Head coach Chris Hammond's squad came off the mat by scoring six times in the bottom half of the sixth inning for an 8-6 game two win and sweep of the Trailblazers, Friday afternoon, in River States Conference action at Rio Softball Park.
The come-from-behind victory came on the heels of a come-from-behind 3-1 triumph in the opening game of the twin bill.
Rio Grande improved to 25-15 overall and 17-9 in the RSC with the sweep, while claiming wins in all four meetings with Ohio Christian in the process.
The Trailblazers dropped to 13-23 overall and 11-15 in league play as a result of the losses.
OCU took a 3-0 first inning lead in the nightcap, thanks in large part to a run-scoring double by Kylee Bako and an RBI hit by Jobi Allen, before extending its advantage to 6-1 in the fourth inning on a three-run home run by Emma Hastings.
Rio got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth thanks to an RBI single by sophomore Kayla Sedgwick (Richwood, OH) before mounting its pulse-pounding rally in the home sixth.
Junior Peyton Young (Mt. Orab, OH) opened the inning with a walk and promptly moved to second on a single to left by sophomore Gabby Adams (Grove City, OH). Senior Lexi Carnahan followed with a fielder's choice grounder to second that was errored to load the bases.
Sedgwick singled to center to score Young and make it 6-3, before the rally appeared set to fizzle after a run-scoring groundout by sophomore Natalie Bates (Vandalia, OH) and a lineout to first by sophomore Madison Perry (Portsmouth, OH).
However, senior Caitlyn Brisker (Oak Hill, OH) came through with a game-tying single to right-center before stealing second and moving to third on a passed ball.
Junior Boo Sturgill (Wheelersburg, OH) then scored Brisker with the go-ahead run on a single to left and, on the same play, advanced to second on an error.
Junior Madison Ogden (Williamsburg, OH) completed the rally moments later with a single to left which scored Sturgill and made it 8-6.
Senior Sydney Campolo (New Lexington, OH), the last of three Rio pitchers, surrendered a leadoff single to Hannah Burton to begin the OCU seventh, but then retired each of the next three batters to nail down the win.
Campolo allowed three hits and struck out one over three scoreless innings for her sixth win in 10 decisions.
Sedgwick had two hits and two RBI in the win, while Sturgill and Ogden both had two hits and a run batted in and Adams finished 2-for-3. Sturgill's hit total also included a double.
Hastings went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and four RBI for the Trailblazers, while Chandler Hayes was 3-for-5 with a double and Allen finished 3-for-4 with a run batted in.
Hastings suffered the loss in the pitcher's circle, allowing 10 hits and eight runs - only four of which were earned - in a complete game effort.
Game one saw OCU push across an unearned run in the first inning against Ogden before Rio finished with three unanswered markers.
Sturgill tied the game in the third with a sacrifice fly, Adams put the RedStorm in front with a solo home run in the fourth inning and Sedgwick added an RBI double later in the fourth.
Ogden took care of the rest, allowing three hits and the unearned run with 11 strikeouts in the complete game effort.
Hilarie Spitler suffered the loss in relief for the Trailblazers, allowing five hits and two runs over 3-2/3 innings.
Sedgwick finished 3-for-3 with an RBI to lead the RedStorm offensively, while Adams was 2-for-2 and Brisker had a triple.
Rio Grande will close out the home portion of its season schedule on Saturday when it hosts Point Park University for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
