Rio Grande Sports Information
RIO GRANDE, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande grabbed a first inning lead and then added three more multiple-run frames en route to a 9-6 game two win over Shawnee State University, Friday afternoon, in River States Conference softball action at Rio Softball Park.
The rival Bears, who were making perhaps their final appearance at Rio given their departure from the RSC in a move to the NCAA Division II Mountain East Conference next season, posted a 12-5 triumph in the opening game.
Rio Grande, which was playing the final games on its regular season slate, closed the day at 33-17 overall and 25-11 in the RSC.
The split also left the RedStorm as the No. 3 seed in the River States Conference Championship, which begins next Thursday at Little Creek Park in South Charleston, W.Va.
Shawnee State, which secured the tourney's No. 2 seed by getting the game one win, improved to 33-13 overall and 26-8 against RSC foes.
In the game two victory, Rio Grande jumped to a 2-0 first inning lead and then extended the cushion to 7-0 with two more runs in the third inning and three fourth inning markers.
Shawnee State got on the board with three runs in the fifth inning, but the RedStorm scored twice in the bottom of the frame for a 9-3 advantage.
The Bears set the final score with a trio of runs in the seventh.
Freshman Macy Kise (Milford Center, OH) had two hits and two runs batted in, while senior Natalie Bates (Vandalia, OH) and sophomore Lindzie Runions (Poca, WV) added two hits of their own and sophomore Emily Lane (Charlotte, NC) had two RBI.
Junior Nigella Reck (Covington, OH) also had a double and drove in a run.
Senior Meg McCallum (Belmont, Ontario, Canada) went the distance in the pitcher's circle to earn her 16th win in 21 decisions.
Gabby McConnell started and lost for SSU, allowing seven hits and seven runs - only one of which was earned - over 3-1/3 innings. The Bears committed five errors in the contest.
Sydney Skiver hit a three-run home run in the loss, while Jenna Christopher was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Sierra Dunnagan added two hits of her own, including a double, and drove in a run.
Game one saw Shawnee State sandwich a three-run first and a three-run third around two second inning runs for a quick and commanding 8-1 lead.
The RedStorm scored three times in the fifth to close within 8-4, but the Bears pushed across four runs in the sixth to put the win on ice.
Haley Myers was 4-for-5 with two RBI to lead the winning effort, while Emily Moore was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI and Christopher finished 2-for-5.
Skiver doubled and drove in three runs, Dunnagan doubled and knocked in two, Keegan Uhl had two RBI and Gabby Adams had a double.
Abbie Deeds went the distance in the circle to get the win for SSU.
Kise started and lost for Rio Grande, allowing six hits and five runs over 1-1/3 innings.
Sophomore Delana Landefeld (Williamsport, OH) went 3-for-4 with a triple, a double and two RBI for the RedStorm, while Reck was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Runions finished 2-for-3. Junior Kendyl Moss (Cincinnati, OH) also doubled in the loss.
Tournament pairings are expected to released by the conference office on Saturday evening.
