EAST GREENSBORO – Robert Morris University (RMU) scored a combined five runs in two eight-inning thrillers to defeat North Carolina A&T, 2-0 and 5-3 on Opening Day of the 2022 softball season at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex on Friday.
Freshman Icess Tresvik did record her first career collegiate home run in the eighth inning, a blast over the left-field wall in Game 2.
"In previous at-bats, I was trying to kill the ball, and I was pulling my head off the ball," Tresvik said. "I went up there relaxed, cleared my head, and picked out a pitch that I liked."
Tresvik did have an RBI groundout in the first inning that tied the second game at 1. The game then became about the ladies in the circle.
RMU Graduate starter Taylor Rhinehart pitched 3 1/3 straight scoreless innings until giving up an RBI single to sophomore Alyxx Estrada in the Aggies fifth. Estrada scored senior Eternal Fuller, who walked and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Jazzmaine Hammond, giving the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
Freshman Aggies starter Mariah Headman pitched 5 1/3 straight scoreless innings before the Colonials put runners on first and third with two out in the visitor's seventh. Alaina Koutsogiani then hit a sac fly to drive home Rachel Rhinehart to force extra innings.
The Colonials wasted no time taking the lead, scoring three runs in the eighth inning after a Charlotte Grover RBI single to center field to drive home Anna Resnik, who pinch ran for Rhinehart, who doubled to open the inning.
Aggies reliever Sharla Kilpatrick got Faith Miller to strike out, but Avery Winchell walked to put runners on first and second. Rachael Rinehart's single was then coupled with an error, allowing Grover to score. The Colonials closed out their scoring in the fifth when Erika Bell hit a groundout RBI to first to score Winchell.
After Tresvik's eighth-inning homer, Kendall Macauley flew out, and Dezianna Patmon grounded out to end the game.
Tresvik recorded the home run with a run scored and two RBI. Header (0-1) got the loss in the circle despite pitching seven-plus innings. Rachael Rhinehart got the win in relief.
Game 1 saw sophomore S'Niyah Stinson (0-1) pitched a five-hitter over eight innings with five strikeouts but still got the loss. After striking out eight in a four-hit shutout, Dana Vatakis (1-0) was the Game 1 winner. Stinson had a brilliant shutout going until the eighth.
"I've got to throw kudos to S'Nyiah Stinson, and Mariah both pitched a great game, keeping the score at a reasonable distance for us to win the game," A&T coach Patti Raduenz said. "We've got to come out and hit. We've got to be more disciplined as hitters."
A&T had its chances to push a run across. Fuller recorded the first hit for the Aggies in the third inning with a single to left field. Fuller advanced to second on a passed ball and stole third base, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.
A&T had another opportunity to score a run in the fourth inning after Macauley singled up the middle and stole second before stealing third. A ground out ended the inning, however, to keep it scoreless.
Heartbreak struck the Aggies in the eighth. With one out and runners on second and third, Stinson got Grover to strike out for out No. 2. But a wild pitch allowed Koutsogiani to score. Alaina York also scored on the play, giving RMU the 2-0 advantage.
The Aggies put the tying run at the plate after a Fuller single, Hammond went down on strikes, and Estrada grounded out. Fuller went 2-for-3 in the first game.
