Softball concludes regular season with two tough losses at Rio Grande

RIO GRANDE, Ohio --- Carlow University softball concluded the regular season with two losses at the University of Rio Grande Saturday.

The Celtics ended the regular season 15-33 overall and 9-21 in River States Conference action. With the sweep of the Celtics, Rio Grande improved to 34-16 and 22-8 to sit atop the RSC East Division standings heading into the conference tournament.

Game 1: L, 9-1 (6 inn.)

The RedStorm defeated the Celtics in walk-off, mercy rule fashion to start the day.

Carlow scored its lone run in the top of the first inning.

Hannah Gallagher and Paige Ziggas hit back-to-back singles to start it off, and a one-out single to right field off the bat of McKenna Pierce brought Gallagher home.

Rio Grande picked up two quick fly outs to end the inning and got to work in the bottom half of the frame to gain the lead.

A walk, a double and a two-run double gave the RedStorm a 2-1 advantage. Rio Grande stole home to add another run, and an RBI double to right-center put the RedStorm up, 4-1.

Carlow tallied singles in the second and third but could not bring anyone around, while Rio Grande hit RBI doubles in both innings to lead, 6-1, after three.

The RedStorm retired the Celtics in order in the top of the fourth, and a two-run home run gave Rio Grande an 8-1 lead.

The Celtics hit into a double play in the fifth but also kept Rio Grande from scoring in the bottom half of the frame.

McKenna Pierce hit a triple to centerfield in the sixth inning and was thrown out at home attempting to stretch out the play.

A one-out RBI double in the bottom of the inning allowed Rio Grande to enact the mercy rule and end the game.

Morgan Pierce suffered the loss in the circle after allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout in 3.1 innings of work. Amanda Hu tossed the final two innings, allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and a strikeout.

McKenna Pierce went 2 for 3 and Hu hit 2 for 2 in the effort at the plate.

Sydney Campolo earned the win for Rio Grande, scattering seven hits in the complete game effort.

Madison Perry went 3 for 4, while Lexi Carnahan hit 3 for 4 with three doubles and two RBI. Gabby Adams batted 2 or 4 with a home run, a double and four RBI.

Game 2: L, 4-3

The Celtics kept it closer in the nightcap, but the RedStorm scored a comeback victory.

Once again, Gallagher got it started off in the first with a single to reach base. A one-out single from McKenna Pierce put two on for the Celtics, and Morgan Nedley hit a two-out single to center field to bring Gallagher home.

Carlow retired the RedStorm in order in the bottom half of the frame and got out of a jam with a pick-off play in the bottom of the second.

Pitcher Clara Niglio started off the third inning with a double to left-center, and a two-out RBI double to center field from Nedley gave Carlow a 2-0 lead.

Niglio once again sat Rio Grande down in order in the bottom of the inning, and the Celtics added an unearned run in the top of the fourth to lead, 3-0.

Carlow kept the RedStorm from scoring with a line-out double play in the fifth, and Rio Grande returned the favor by leaving two runners stranded in the top of the sixth.

The RedStorm tied it up in the bottom of the sixth. A double and back-to-back walks from Niglio prompted a pitching change to send Megan Pollinger to the circle.

A sacrifice fly to left field, an error and a double down the left field line brought in three runs before the Celtics could get out of the inning.

Carlow saw a runner on third in the top of the seventh, but the RedStorm came up with a big strikeout to end the inning.

A one-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning scored the winning run in a walk-off for Rio Grande.

Pollinger was saddled with the loss after allowing one earned run on three hits. Niglio tossed the first five innings for the Celtics, allowing two earned runs and scattering five hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Niglio also hit 3 for 4 with a double to lead the Celtics at the plate. Gallagher and McKenna Pierce each hit 2 for 4, and Nedley went 2 for 3 with two RBI.

Hannah Beers earned the win for Rio Grande, allowing three hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3.1 innings of work, while Cierra Clark and Adams batted 2 for 2.