LEESBURG, Fla. – Senior captain
Stephanie Caudle hit a go-ahead three-run home run and picked up the save in leading Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a 10-8 victory over Millikin University on Friday morning at the Sleep Hollow Sports Complex. The Engineers then edged Alfred University, 1-0, to open the season at 2-0.
The Big Blue struck for two runs in the bottom of the first, on a two-run single by junior Chelsea Eads. Doubles from seniors
Courtney McArthur and
Lillian Kolehmainen brought RPI to within 2-1 after two.
Millikin then opened up a 5-1 lead in the third, scoring three times. Junior Alyssa Voegele plated one with a single, before Eads drove in two more with an opposite field base hit to right.
Rensselaer used its speed to score three runs in the top of the fourth. Junior
Victoria Greco scored freshman
Cam Caswell with a single to right, before an error made it 5-3. Sophomore
Devan Puhl hit a roller past the pitcher and reached, bringing in
Christine White from third.
After a scoreless fifth, RPI took the lead in the sixth. Senior
Morgan Kollmeier rapped a single, but Greco was caught off of third on the relay in from right. She kept running and beat the throw from third base to tie the game at 5-5.
Puhl followed with a walk, setting up Caudle for the three-run blast that gave RPI an 8-5 advantage. The Engineers' rally continued as White was able to bring across two more with a single.
A Voegele three-run homer in the seventh chased junior
Sarah Harms from the game with one out in the frame, but Caudle was able to come in and shut the door for her first save of the year.
RPI freshman starter Jaime Cleaseby went 4.0 innings, but took a no-decision, allowing five runs (2 earned) on five hits. She struck out six and walked one.
In game two on the day, Caudle threw a seven-inning complete game shutout against Alfred, striking out seven without a walk.
The contest was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh, when White lifted a walk-off sacrifice fly to center, plating Caswell from third.
