ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- The Pirates bounced back from a Friday loss at Lakewood with a doubleheader sweep at Lorain Saturday. With Maggie Hill and Katie Mommers combining to yield just two unearned runs over 11 innings, River earned wins of 10-0 and 14-2.
Rocky River (10-6) got big-bat performances from Lindsay Hartman, Maire Kelly, Kelsey Murphy, and Emily Satayathum in vanquishing the Titans in both ends of the non-conference double-dip. Both wins were of the run-rule variety, the opener in five innings and the second game in six. Hill went the route in game one, holding Lorain scoreless on four singles and no walks. Mommers (five innings) and Hill (one inning) combined in the circle effort in game two.
The opener was dominated by a seven-run River frame, the bottom of the second which saw River put nine straight batters on base. Hartman led off that second inning with a double. Satayathum also doubled in the inning, and Mommers homered. Over the two games, Hartman clubbed three doubles and her second home run of the spring. She went 4-for-5 with a walk and five runs batted in. Satayathum also had multiple two-baggers over the two games; she went 3-for-6 with a walk and four runs scored.
The second contest had Rocky River in front, 3-2, through three innings. The Pirates then broke free with crooked numbers in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to put the game away. Lindsay Hartman and Maire Kelly each reached base four times in the rout. River had six extra-base hits in the game including a record-breaking home run from Kelsey Murphy. The junior slugger closed out the game with a sixth-inning blast to right center. The homer marked the 12th of Murphy's career, passing Marissa Smiley (2016-19) for the program record.
Over the twin bill, Murphy went 4-for-7 with seven RBIs. For the season, she's batting .531 (26-of-49) with seven home runs and 36 RBIs.
Saturday's double-digit scoring performances marked the Pirates' 10th and 11th of the season. River has won four of its last five games. Over that stretch, the Maroon & White have outscored their opponents, 62-13.
by Skip Snow
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