Rio Grande Sports Information
BECKLEY, W.Va. - The University of Rio Grande followed up a mercy rule-shortened game one win with a late game two rally to sweep a doubleheader from West Virginia University-Tech in River States Conference softball action, Tuesday afternoon, at Fitzpatrick Park.
The RedStorm scored seven times in the fifth inning to fuel an 11-3 run-rule triumph in the opener, while a two-run sixth inning and a seventh inning insurance marker produced a 4-2 win in the nightcap.
Rio Grande improved to 17-10 overall and 10-4 in conference play with the sweep.
The host Golden Bears dropped to 5-13 overall and 3-11 against RSC foes.
Junior Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) clubbed a three-run home run to highlight the seven-run fifth inning, while senior Natalie Bates (Vandalia, OH) added a run-scoring triple, freshman Adelyn Wolfe (Lancaster, OH) had an RBI double and junior Kendyl Moss (Cincinnati, OH) contributed a run-scoring hit in the frame.
Reck finished 2-for-4 with the three RBI, while Bates had two hits and drove in two runs. Moss, senior Meg McCallum (Belmont, Ontario, Canada) and freshman Macy Kise (Milford Center, OH) also had two hits each in the win.
Kise earned the win in the pitcher's circle, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out nine.
Taylor Scott started and lost for WVU-Tech, surrendering 14 hits and walking three over five innings.
Olivia Barnett homered and drove in two runs for the Golden Bears, while Tori Wells had a double.
Game two saw the Bears push across single runs in the second and third innings to erase an early 1-0 Rio lead, but the RedStorm got a game-tying home run from Bates and sophomore Lindzie Runions (Poca, WV) later scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
Runions tacked on an RBI single in the seventh to set the final score.
Bates and Runions both went 2-for-4 with a run batted in, while sophomore Emily Lane (Charlotte, NC) and freshman Gabby Henry (Williamsport, OH) also had two hits each. Reck and Lane both doubled.
McCallum scattered seven hits and walked one while striking out four to earn the win.
Meghan Gill went the distance in the circle for WVU-Tech.
Barnett finished 2-for-3 with a double and Mia Valenzuela doubled and drove in a run for the Golden Bears.
Weather permitting, Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Friday at rival Shawnee State University.
First pitch for the opener is set for 3 p.m. at Doc Singleton Park in West Portsmouth, Ohio.
