NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The IU Southeast offense was shut down by great Rio Grande pitching en route to a RedStorm sweep of the Grenadiers 4-0 and 5-2 on Friday.
In game one, Kelsey Conkey (10-1) hurled a complete-game three-hit shutout of the Grenadiers. The reigning conference pitcher and player of the year helped her own cause in the seventh inning when she connected on a two-run home run to center to give the RedStorm a 4-0 lead.
The RedStorm (19-8, 6-0 RSC) opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Kelsey Conkey brought in the first run with the bases loaded when she reached on a fielder's choice and Kaitlin Heimberger scored from third. Michaela Criner was forced out for the first out of the inning. Two batters later, Mary Pica doubled to left center to bring in Lexi Philen.
The Grenadiers (8-10, 4-2 RSC) did not put a runner in scoring position in game one. Conkey only struck out one batter in seven innings but the Grenadiers had trouble getting good contact.
Becca Schoenung (3-6) pitched well in seven innings but could not match Conkey on this day. She gave up four runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one.
In game two, the Red Storm scored in the top of the first when Conkey singled to right to score Criner who had doubled. Rio Grande would load the bases with two outs but starter Emily Weiss was able to get Heimburger to pop out to her to end the inning.
Kelsey Conkey came through with another RBI single in the third to make it 2-0. The RedStorm added another run on a botched pickoff play with Kayla Slutz at third. The throw down was not caught by Justice Kline and got away allowing Slutz to score.
Slutz would add a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Carly Skeese would score on the same play when Heimburger was caught in a run down and tagged out.
The Grenadiers would attempt a comeback in the bottom of the inning when Kline and Weiss led off with singles. Both runners would score on a two-out double from Kaitlyn Flowers, but that was all the damage the Grenadiers could muster.
Kacee Jenkins (2-2) got the complete-game win. Emily Weiss (5-4) took the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on 11 hits. She walked four and struck out one.
Sydney Seger and Weiss each had two hits in the loss.
