Softball Splits with Rio Grande After 16-inning Affair

HENDERSON, Ky. – The Brescia University softball team split with Rio Grande in their opening day of conference play. The matchup included a 16-inning win and a loss against the RedStorm. The Bearcats extended their record to 4-8 overall and 1-1 in RSC play.

Game 1: Bearcats 2 Rio Grande 1 – 16 innings

The Bearcats played the equivalent of two games in game one of the doubleheader as the matchup went into 16-innings. BU scored first in the bottom of the opening frame on Emma Kate Elrod's single to right field. A throwing error by the right fielder allowed Addy Harris to score after advancing to third on the hit. The RedStorm tied up the score in the third inning on a single up the middle. The 1-1 stalemate continued for 13 more innings while both pitchers went the distance.

After leaving 17 runners on the base paths, the Bearcats scored in the same fashion as they did in the first inning. Elrod fisted a ball off her bat and over the shortstop to score Harris from third to win the game.

Emmie Bullington went the full 16-innings for her second win of the season with eight strikeouts.

Game 2: Rio Grande 4 Bearcats 1

After the long game one, the Bearcats still had one more to play against the RedStorm. Elrod put the ball in play and reached on a fielding error by the first baseman as Madison McDaniel scored from second base. That would be the sole run the Bearcats would score as the offense grew cold. Rio Grande scored four runs as they took the lead on a home run in the fifth inning. The RedStorm added their fourth and final run in the top of seventh.

The Bearcats will host Shawnee State in Henderson, KY on Sunday, March 8^th at 1pm.