MOON TOWNSHIP– After an 11-6 victory Friday afternoon, Robert Morris (25-13, 14-3 Horizon) played a doubleheader against Purdue Fort Wayne (7-33, 6-13) to finish off their three-game series Saturday.

Game 1: Colonials 7, Mastodons 1

WP: Rachael Rhinehart, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB 4 SO

LP: Shaina Eyre, 4.2 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

RMU got all three of the Mastodons’ first three batters out and shut down their offense to start off the first game of the day. The Colonials started off strong on offense as well, scoring three runs in the first inning.

Resnik scored first after being walked on an RBI from Taylor Rhinehart. After that, Meadow Sacadura hit a single into the outfield and Charlotte Grover scored. Taylor Rhinehart then scored a run on an RBI single from Catalina Saxen.

Neither team was able to score in the second inning, but in the third, Thais Uyema scored for PFW to make the score 3-1.

RMU came up firing in the fourth. Avery Winchell scored the first run for the Colonials since the first inning on an RBI from Erika Bell.

RMU continued to shut out PFW for the rest of the game. In the fifth inning, the Colonials would score the last two runs of the game. Avery Winchell chased in Bailee Bertani, and Winchell later came around to score on a single by Alaina Koutsogiani.

Maddie DeVault came in for the seventh and retired the Mastodons in order, sealing the team’s 24th win of the season.

After winning the first game, the Colonials earned sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. In order to keep first place they needed to win their second game of the day with Cleveland State and Oakland splitting their matchups.

Game 2: Colonials 4, Mastodons 1

WP: Jane Garver, 7.0 IP, 4 H, R, 9 SO

LP: Jade Johnson, 4.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, SO

The second game was much more contested than the first match-up of the day. Both teams’ defenses stood strong throughout the game.

In the first inning, the Mastodons scored their first and only run on the day with two early hits. Colonials pitcher,Jane Garver finished the inning strong with two strikeouts.

The PFW pitching stayed strong, as starter Jade Johnson did not crack until the fifth inning.

In the 5th frame, the Colonials captured momentum on the defensive end. Erika Bell made an outstanding throw from deep left field to Bailee Bertani at home plate, nailing Taryn Jenkins to keep it a one-run game.

On the offensive end, the momentum carried over in the bottom of the 5th inning. Bell started off the inning with a hit and got a runner on first. Charlotte Grover then hit a drive into the outfield for a double. Taylor Rhinehart then hit a grounder down the third-base line to load the bases.

Catalina Saxen began the scoring with another grounder which sent pinch-runner Julia Ehrman home to tie the game at one. Avery Winchell then hit a drive to center field resulting in runs from Charlotte Grover and Jess Matheny to make the score 3-1, another clutch hit for the infielder.

Alaina York knocked another hit that resulted in an RBI. The fourth and final run of the inning was scored by Brittney Seibert.

After the fifth inning, the Colonials locked down Purdue Fort Wayne’s offense and held on to win 4-1 and sweep the three-game set.

Coach Jexx Varner was proud of the defensive effort.

“I think defensively we played really well. We made some really big plays and it’s even small things that we talked about,” he said. “Jane was phenomenal, and [Erika Bell] throwing the girl out at the plate was huge for us.”

It’s not easy to finish off a complete game, and Jane Garver did so, fanning five and finishing the day with nine strikeouts, speaking on her mindset going into the final inning.

“Honestly, I wanted to strike them out,” Garver said. “I tried to get as hype and as excited as I could, especially in the seventh inning.”

The Colonials put in a great team effort on the defensive end to win their second game, now seven in a row, and hold on to sole ownership of first place in the Horizon League.

The Colonials will continue Horizon League play in their next game when they face Green Bay in a doubleheader on Monday, April 25th at the North Athletic Complex.