LOVES PARK, Ill. The Rockford University softball team split a pair of games against the visiting MSOE Raiders in a Saturday afternoon NACC doubleheader. The Regents dropped a 2-1 pitcher's duel in game one with a great outing from
Mariah Martinez, delivering a complete game effort despite the loss. The Raiders were able to get two sacrifice flies in the 3rd inning to grab a 2-0 lead. Rockford did cut the lead in half in the 5th to make it 2-1 and threatened to score in each of the 6th and 7th innings, but unfortunately were held in check and the Raiders took game one. Game two featured a 5-3 win with another great starting pitching performance, this time from
Rylee Klema, who delivered 6.0 strong innings for the Regents. The Raiders did start the game up 1-0, but the Regents took the lead 2-1 in their half of the 1st. MSOE followed with a run in the 2nd to tie the game at 2-2, but Rockford was able to score again in the 3rd and 4th innings to grab a 4-2 lead and another in the 5th on a solo blast from
Rylee Klema to make it 5-2. The Raiders did scratch one more run across, but the Regents were able to take care of business to take game two and force the split.
MSOE 2 Rockford 1
- Both offenses were held to a slow start, with Rockford's Mariah Martinez and MSOE's Kat Pollock getting off to a good start.
- The Raiders were able to strike in the top of the 3rd on two separate sacrifice flies to grab a 2-0 lead.
- Rockford tried to battle back in their half of the 3rd, loading the bases with 2 outs, but unfortunately could scratch anything across.
- Both pitchers continued to duel on the mound, keeping both offenses at bay until the Regents were able to strike in the bottom of the 5th inning on an RBI ground out from Olivia Lysaght to put the Regents on the board and cut the lead in half at 2-1.
- The Regents were able to get the lead-off batter on in each of the next 2 innings, and got the winning run on base in the bottom of the 7th, but unfortunately the Raiders were able to close out the game and take game one slightly 2-1.
Rockford 5 MSOE 3
- The Raiders got out to a quick lead, scoring in the top of the 1st on an RBI double to put MSOE up 1-0.
- The Regents offense battled right back in their half of the 1st, with Olivia Lysaght reaching on an error, followed by a double to right-center from Emily Down to put runners on 2nd and 3rd, Enedy Perez then drove in Lysaght with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1 and then Rylee Klema gave the Regents the lead with an RBI single to left-center to make it 2-1.
- MSOE was able to tie the game up in the top of the 2nd with an RBI single to make it 2-2.
- Rockford took the lead right back with a lead-off walk from Jocelyn Callahan, followed by a steal to put her in scoring position and an RBI single by Olivia Lysaght to put the Regents up 3-2.
- The Raiders offense was held in check by some great pitching from Rylee Klema, who allowed a lead-off single in the top of the 3rd and then retired the next 8 straight hitters and retiring two of those hitters via the punchout.
- Rockford added on in the bottom of the 4th after a lead-off single by Lauren Zielinski, followed by a single by Kaylee Jarrard and Makayla Howard drove in Zielinski with an RBI ground-rule double to push the lead to 4-2.
- The Regents added on again in the bottom of the 5th with a solo swat into left by Rylee Klema, the first of her career, to put Rockford up 5-2.
- The Raiders were able to push a single run across in the 6th to make it 5-3, but Mariah Martinez was able to secure the win for Rockford, picking up the save in the process.
Game 1
- Mariah Martinez poured in a brilliant 7.0 inning effort, allowing 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and picking up 2 strikeouts.
- Rylee Klema had a 2-3 game with 2 doubles.
- Olivia Lysaght was 2-4 with 2 singles and an RBI.
Game 2
- Rylee Klema had a great all-around game, delivering a strong 6.0 innings of work, allowing 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and picked up 3 strikeouts, at the plate she was 2-3 with a single, 2 RBIs also including a home run, the first of her career.
- Emily Down was 2-4 with a double, a single and a run scored.
- Olviia Lysaght was 2-4 with 2 singles, 1 run and 1 RBI.
