BOX SCORE - GAME ONE
BOX SCORE - GAME TWO
VIDEO INTERVIEW - BRIAN SHEARER
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Sophomores Ellissa Eckert and Janel Lake delivered late RBI hits in consecutive games to lift the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology softball team to a pair of single run victories over Franklin College 2-1 and 4-3 in eight innings in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action on Tuesday, April 14.
In the game one victory, the Fightin' Engineers used a Franklin error to score a run in the second inning. The Grizzlies (17-11, 4-6 HCAC) responded with a run in the fourth on one of Savannah Blevins' three hits.
Neither team would score until another Franklin error in the bottom of the sixth aided the Engineer efforts to score the game-winning run on a single from Eckert to right field.
Freshman Jenny Miller earned the second win of her career pitching a complete game allowing eight hits and two walks. The Rose-Hulman defense played a key role in the victory as the Engineers turned three double plays in the game. Junior Jett Bender had a busy day in left field recording six putouts to go with her 1-3 day batting.
Along with Bender, Eckert, Miller, and freshman Gabbi Markison all tallied one hit while senior Carly Heibel was the lone Engineer with two base hits.
In game two, Rose-Hulman fell behind 3-0 after three innings, but battled back in the bottom of the fourth. After consecutive hits from Miller and Heibel, senior Jessica Ahlborn doubled to right field scored two runs. An inning later, freshman Michelle Korf tied the game with a solo home run to left field.
Neither team would threaten until the bottom of the seventh when the Engineers got the winning run to third base with one out. Franklin pitcher Olivia Paszek got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground ball.
With the game tied after seven complete innings, the international run rule, placing a runner on second base to begin the inning, was in effect. Franklin failed to capitalize, and Rose-Hulman took advantage with Lake's walk-off hit with two outs.
Lockhart earned her seventh victory of the season allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out two in eight innings of work. Six Engineers notched a single base hit while Jake had two hits including the game winner.
Rose-Hulman improves to 17-7 overall and 5-3 in HCAC play. The Engineers continue conference play with a doubleheader at Hanover on Saturday, April 18. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
