Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 The IU Columbus Softball team had a tough road trip over the weekend, traveling to Beckley, West Virginia and Rio Grande, Ohio. They swept West Virginia Tech on Friday, but lost both games to Rio Grande on Saturday.

Friday, April 3
Game 1
The opening game was going on along smoothly for the Crimson Pride as they built an early lead. Lex Heafner singled to lead off the second inning and Renee Lecher followed with a two-run homer to open the scoring. They added one run in the fourth as Carli Hosler doubled and scored when the Golden Bears center fielder misplayed a ball hit by Lecher. Linnea Baldner led off the fifth with a single. Cierra Cramer reached on an error, and Emma Chism was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pair of force outs at the plate, Heafner doubled in two runs to make the score 5-0. Olivia Bright reached on an error to start the sixth and scored on a double by Mackenzie Matern. Baldner reached second on an error, scoring Matern. Baldner then stole third and scored on a passed ball, giving the Crimson Pride a comfortable 8-0 lead.

West Virginia Tech made it uncomfortable in the bottom of the sixth. IU Columbus pitcher Destiny Forler, after five scoreless innings, tired in the sixth as the Golden Bears put together four straight singles to start the inning.Lucy Long came on in relief, but the home team kept their rally going, and by the time the inning ended the score was 8-7.

IU Columbus came back with a big seventh to rebuild their big lead. An error, a hit-by-pitch and a Baldner single loaded the bases. Jazlynn Stewart singled to score Lecher and Justice Cash. Julia Abbott executed a perfect bunt single that scored Baldner and Stewart. Mallory Shelton singled in Abbott, and Heafner singled for her third hit of the game. Bright hit a two-run single to make the score 15-7. The Golden Bears scored two in the bottom of the seventh as the Crimson Pride were able to hang on for a 15-9 win.

Game 2
The second game of the doubleheader was a pitchers duel. Mackenzie Matern started in the circle for the Crimson Pride and threw a great game. West Virginia Tech got on the board in the second inning with a single, triple and sacrifice fly to take a 2-0 lead. Taylor Scott was the pitcher for the Golden Bears, and she was cruising along through the first four innings. 

IUC finally broke through in the fifth. With two outs and nobody on base, Jazlynn Stewart drew a walk. Matern followed with a two-run home run to center to tie the game. Baldner and Heafner singled, and Chism walked to load the bases. Cramer reached on an error by the shortstop, scoring Baldner with the go-ahead run.

WVT threatened in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs. Peyton Hudnall lined out on a full-count pitch to Justice Cash at short to end the threat. Matern set the Golden Bears down in order in the seventh to preserve the 3-2 win.

Saturday, April 4
Game 1
The Crimson Pride came into the Saturday doubleheader at Rio Grande feeling good about their chances. Macy Kise, the starting pitcher for the Red Storm, had other ideas. She threw a complete game, three-hit shutout. The Red Storm offense put together a six-run third inning, as two-run homers by Nigella Reck and Natalie Bates were followed by RBI doubles by Lindzie Runions and Gabby Henry. That was all the scoring as Rio Grande took the opener 6-0.

Game 2
Renee Lecher led off the second inning with an infield single, and Sydney Sauri doubled, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Matern's sacrifice bunt with one out scored Lecher. Sauri scored on an infield error to give the Crimson Pride a 2-0 lead. Rio Grande scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead in half. The Red Storm tied the game in the third as Reck singled and scored on a double by Bates. Rio Grande added two more runs in the fifth with two outs on a double by Runions, giving the home team a 4-2 lead.

The Crimson Pride answered in the top of the sixth. Lily Culp singled with one out, and moved to third on a double by Matern. Baldner singled to center, scoring both runners. Baldner was thrown out trying to get to third on the play. Heafner was hit by a pitch, Lily Retz singled and Shelton was intentionally walked to load the bases. Heafner was thrown out at home while trying to score on a wild pitch, ending the inning.

Rio Grande came back in the bottom of the inning as Reck had a two-run single and Kendyl Moss added an RBI single to make the score 7-4. The Crimson Pride put two runners on with one out in the seventh, bringing in the potential tying run to the plate. The Red Storm brought in their ace, Macy Kise, to finish the game. She got Culp to foul out to third, and struck out Matern to end the game.

Next on the schedule:
The Crimson Pride return home for a doubleheader against IU Southeast on Tuesday, April 7 beginning at 1:00.