KOKOMO, Ind. – The IU Southeast softball team defeated Point Park 13-5 in five innings to kick off the RSC Softball Championship.
IU Southeast managed to load the bases in the first inning, but Point Park escaped the jam without allowing a run. Point Park followed with a scoring opportunity of their own in the top of the second, putting runners on first and third with one out. Just like Point Park did in the first, IU Southeast managed to avoid giving up a run.
Hayley McFarling doubled with two outs in the bottom of the second to put a runner in scoring position for the Grenadiers. An RBI double by Ellie Jackman gave IU Southeast a 1-0 lead. Brooklyn Gibbs followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0, and Macie Zink added an RBI double to put IU Southeast in front 3-0 after two innings.
Point Park opened the top of the fourth inning with a walk and a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. The Pioneers scored their first run on a sacrifice fly. A single put two runners on with one out, and another sacrifice fly narrowed the IU Southeast lead to 3-2.
Haley Smith singled to open the bottom of the fourth for IU Southeast. After stealing second, Smith scored on another double by Ellie Jackman to extend the Grenadier lead to 4-2.
A walk gave Point Park a leadoff runner to start the top of the fifth. The Grenadiers got two straight outs and were on the verge of getting out of the inning unscathed, but Point Park used a double and a single to score two runs to tie the game at 4-4. Another single put runners on first and second, and the Pioneers took their first lead of the game at 5-4 after a third straight single.
The bottom of the fifth opened with a double by Lindsey Nelson and a triple by Katie Templeman to tie the game at 5-5. Erin Templeman was hit by a pitch, and pinch runner Rebecca Brosmer stole second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Haley Smith gave the Grenadiers a 6-5 lead with a sacrifice fly, and Brosmer scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-5.
Hayley McFarling walked, and Ellie Jackman reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and second with still nobody out. Brooklyn Gibbs followed with an RBI single to extend the Grenadier lead to 8-5. Ellie Jackman scored on a Point Park error, and Katie Cook delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 10-5.
The Grenadiers scored nine runs in the fifth inning to secure the victory. Brooklyn Gibbs picked up the win for IU Southeast, moving to 10-9 on the year. Seven Grenadiers had an RBI in the contest, and every Grenadier with an official at-bat recorded a hit.
IU Southeast moves on to play top-seeded Rio Grande Friday.
