Rio Grande Sports Information
NEW ALBANY, Ind. - Macy Kise snapped a scoreless tie with a one-out, run-scoring double in the top of the ninth inning and the University of Rio Grande dodged a major scoring threat in the bottom of the inning for a 1-0 game two victory and a doubleheader sweep of Indiana University Southeast, Saturday afternoon, in River States Conference softball action at the Koetter Sports Complex.
The RedStorm, who posted a 4-1 triumph in the front end of the twin bill, improved to 15-10 overall and 8-4 against RSC foes.
IU Southeast slipped to 10-7 overall and 4-6 in conference play with the losses.
The game-winning, ninth inning rally in game two began with a one-out double by junior Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) and Kise - a freshman from Milford Center, Ohio - followed with a first pitch go-ahead double to the gap in right-center.
Things got a bit scary in the home half of the frame, though.
After Rio senior starter Meg McCallum (Belmont, Ontario, Canada) routinely retired each of the first two batters before surrendering a single to Josie Lemmons and a double to left-center, which put the tying and winning runs in scoring position.
Sofia Guy was then intentionally walked to set up a force play at any base and the game ended when Savannah Gaither grounded out to second base to end the game.
Reck finished with two doubles, freshman Gabby Henry (Williamsport, OH) had two hits and McCallum had a double of her own in the winning effort.
McCallum got the win in the pitcher's circle, scattering nine hits and four walks in a complete game effort. She struck out five.
Emma Davis was the hard luck loser for IUS, allowing six hits and striking out seven in her own complete game outing.
Raycee Stallings was 3-for-4 in the loss for the Grenadiers, while Lemmons had two hits and Guy had a double.
In the opening game, Rio Grande jumped to a 2-0 first inning lead and then sealed its win with single markers in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Reck had a run-scoring single and sophomore Lindzie Runions (Poca, WV) had a sacrifice fly in the two-run first, while senior Natalie Bates (Vandalia, OH) connected on a run-scoring double in the fifth and junior Kendyl Moss (Cincinnati, OH) had an RBI hit in the sixth.
Moss, Reck, Bates and Runions all had two hits in the victory. Reck's hit total included a double.
Kise tossed a complete game three-hitter, while allowing a walk, an unearned run and striking out five.
Hallie Foley started and lost for IU Southeast, allowing 11 hits and the four runs over 5-1/3 innings.
Gaither was 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in for the Grenadiers.
Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday afternoon when it travels to Beckley, W.Va. to face West Virginia University-Tech in another RSC doubleheader.
First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
