Softball picks out a pair of wins to close out the NAIA Leadoff Tournament

(Rosemont, IL) - The Rochester Christian softball team closed out the final two days of the NAIA Leadoff Tournament with a 2-2 record, pulling off a pair of one-run wins. The Warriors would earn wins over Trinity Christian and Indiana - South Bend, while falling to Indiana - South Bend and Olivet Nazarene. 

GAME 1 - ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 7, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 6

Emily Leusby (1-0) pitched the full game in the circle, allowing three earned runs, striking out six batters. 

Both teams picked up a trio of runs in the first inning, with Trinity Christian piecing together multiple hits to score their runs. RCU saw Jaya Forti start their half with a triple, coming in on a wild pitch. Brooklyn Ross and Angelina Viviano would both later score on back-to-back bases-loaded walks. The tie wouldn't last for long as TCC picked up three runs in the second inning. 

The Warriors would go scoreless over the next two innings until the fourth inning, with Brooklyn Ross bringing in Chloe Gildea on a sacrifice fly. RCU retook the lead in the fifth inning with Gildea doubling and scoring Ella Hayes, Emma Cronkright scoring on a walk, and Gildea scoring on a wild pitch. 

Leusby would strike out a trio of batters over the final two innings, earning the win. 

GAME 2 - INDIANA SOUTH BEND 12, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 5

Rory Miller (0-1) started and pitched an inning, allowing six runs. Kaylie Rickert came in relief, pitching the final six innings, allowing six runs and three strikeouts. 

IUSB put up seven runs over the first two innings. The Warriors got in the scoring column in the third inning with Makayla Lezotte hitting a two-RBI double, with Jaya Forti and Amber Lamphier scoring. Angelina Viviano would drive in Lezotte with an RBI single. The two teams matched runs in the fourth inning, with Lamphier scoring Cronkright and later scoring on a sacrifice fly. 

Indiana South Bend would be able to pull away further over the final three innings to seal the game. 

GAME 3 - ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 16, INDIANA SOUTH BEND 15 - 8 INNINGS

Amber Lamphier pitched the first 7.1 innings, striking out four batters. Kaylie Rickert (1-1) came in the eighth inning to get the final two outs, earning a strikeout. 

The game saw a tight battle over the first five innings with IUSB leading 6-2. The Titans were able to tack on to the leading the sixth with a trio of runs to move out to 9-2. A massive seven-run inning had the Warriors right back in action, with four extra-base hits in the inning. Angelina Viviano, Brooklyn Ross, Emma Cronkright, and Jaya Forti accounted for six of the RBIs, while Emma Hoover's single was the seventh. 

The seventh inning had IUSB take the lead right back, before the bottom half of the inning. RCU once again tied the game right back with Brooklyn Ross hitting a RBI groundout and Emily Leusby scoring on a wild pitch. 

Another wild inning in the eighth saw a total of nine runs. The Titans would be able to take a commanding four-run lead into the bottom half of the inning. Jaya Forti started the rally with a single to score Chloe Gildea, with Amber Lamphier doubling home Forti. A dropped third strike gave the Warriors new life with Brooklyn Ross, Emma Hoover, and Emma Cronkright hitting back-to-back-to-back singles to walk off the Titans. 

GAME 4 - OLIVET NAZARENE 13, ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN 1 - 5 INNINGS

Emily Leusby (1-1) started the final game of the tournament in the circle, pitching four innings. Rory Miller closed out the game with an inning.

The Tigers scored runs in each of the five innings, scoring 1 run in the first and second innings, 2 runs in the third and fourth innings, before rounding out the game in the fifth with seven runs. 

RCU grabbed their sole run in the third inning with Emily Leusby singling home Angelina Viviano. 

TOP PERFORMERS

Jaya Forti, Amber Lamphier, and Emma Cronkright led the offense in the four games, recording eight, seven, and five hits, respectively. Forti and Cronkright had three extra-base hits, with Forti hitting two triples and a double, while Cronkright had three doubles. 

Emily Leusby recorded a 1-1 record with a 4.45 ERA over 11 innings, recording 7 strikeouts. Amber Lamphier recorded the other win, pitching in 7 innings. 

UP NEXT

RCU will close play at the NAIA Leadoff Tournament with a pair of games against Indiana-South Bend and Olivet Nazarene tomorrow, February 14 at 12:30 and 2:30 PM EST.