FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Rockford University softball team (3-0) continued its undefeated run with a pair of run rule games that both ended in the 5th inning. The Regents kicked off their day against Pittsburgh-Bradford, and after seeming like a close contest at 4-3 after the second, Rockford ran up the score with seven unanswered runs. The final two in the fifth inning was enough to force the mercy rule and conclude the first game of the day, 11-3.
Emily Cox was a perfect three-for-three hitting in the game, recording three doubles, which tied the school record for doubles in a game. The second game against New Jersey City was more of the same.
Mariah Martinez only gave up one run to the Gothic Knights in the first inning, while Rockford put up ten runs by the fourth inning to secure the mercy rule win shortly after.
Candace Kipp was the highlight on offense, she hit two-for-two with a double and two RBI's.
Rockford 11 Pitt.-Bradford 3
- Bradford scored the first three runs of the game in the top of the second off of a couple hits into left field to make the score 3-0.
- Rockford responded however, putting together a solid second inning of offense. Michaela Spanbauer started off the scoring with a double to left field, scoring Elizabeth Thomas. Candace Kipp immediately stepped up and doubled to center field to score Spanbauer to make it 3-2. Emily Cox gave the Regents their first lead of the contest with a two-out double down the left field line to score two more runs and make it 4-3.
- The Regents continued to add on runs in the bottom of the third. Candace Kipp hit a sacrifice fly to center to score a run and Elizabeth Thomas stole home on a double steal with two outs. Rockford was leading 6-3.
- The fourth inning was more of the same, Breanna Collins scored Emily Cox on a double into left field, while Breanna Collins and Jocelyn Callahan both scored on errors from steal attempts. The Regents were ahead by six heading into the fifth.
- Rockford loaded the bases in the fifth, only needing two runs to get the eight-run mercy rule. Emily Cox got hit by a pitch and scored the first run, while Morgan Hopping pinch hit and drew a walk to score the second run.
- Mariah Martinez only gave up the three runs in the second in the victory. She finished with three strikeouts in her five innings pitched, securing her third win in three games for the Regents.
Rockford 10 New Jersey City 1
- Rockford came up to bat in the top of the first. Candace Kipp got the scoring started for the Regents with a double to left field that scored two runs.
- NJCU came up in the bottom of the inning and were able to get one run back on a single to make the score 2-1.
- The Regents came up in the second and extended their lead. Elizabeth Thomas hit a single to score a run, Emily Cox hit a triple to score two more, and Breanna Collins popped out to score Emily Cox from third. Rockford had the lead 6-1.
- The third inning had some more excitement for RU. Emily Down made it an 8-1 game after she knocked a homerun to score herself as well as Candace Kipp.
- The fourth inning of play got Rockford the eight-run lead it needed for the mercy rule. Elizabeth Thomas managed to reach on an error, but then proceeded to steal second and third, then finally crossing the plate on a passed ball to make it 9-1. Audrey Mendenhal scored an insurance run on a fly out to left field that scored Emily Cox.
- Rockford secured the win shortly after in the fifth inning, finishing a perfect 2-0 and moving the Regents to a 4-0 start to 2022.
Pitt.-Bradford
- Emily Cox tied the school record for doubles in a game with 3. She went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI's and scored once.
- Elizabeth Thomas finished 2-for-2, scoring twice and drawing a walk once. Most notably, she tied the Regents school record in stolen bases with 4.
- Candace Kipp was 1-for-2 and brought in 2 RBI's and scored once.
New Jersey City
