Point Park earns RSC split against Oakland City (Ind.), take game one 6-1

OAKLAND CITY, Ind. – Point Park took on Oakland City (Ind.) in a River States Conference doubleheader on Saturday where they walked away with a split. The Pioneers took game one 6-1 over the Mighty Oaks as timely hits were the key to Point Park's success. In game two the Pioneers stormed back with four runs in the sixth inning to bring Point Park within one, but Oakland City came out victorious with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to remain onto the rest of the game winning 7-4.

Game 1:

Following a quiet day at the plate yesterday for the Pioneers, they turned the heat up for their first game against Oakland City. Four runs over the last two innings sealed the 6-1 win over the Mighty Oaks.

Point Park started the scoring in the top of the third inning. With two outs Hayley O'Neil drew a walk to put a runner on for Melanie Taylor.

Taylor managed to hit a single through the left side to advance O'Neil into scoring position for Mara Iagnemma. Iagnemma followed up with a single of her own, this time to center field, to score O'Neil and advance Taylor to third base.

The Pioneers then picked up their third single in a row as Mia Arndt came through with a single to left field to score Taylor putting the Pioneers up 2-0.

Oakland City picked up a run of their own in the bottom of the third as Madison Shipley reached first on an error in left field allowing Kasey Wood to score cutting Point Park's lead to one. This was the only run Oakland City scored the rest of the game.

Point Park tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning, once again with two outs. Mia Arndt led the inning off with a single to right field, followed up by a single by Gianna Welsh to score Arndt extending the lead to 3-1.

Sydnie Reese then got in on the action as she hit a single of her own up the middle that allowed Welsh to score as the center fielder made an error while trying to get the ball back into the infield.

The final two runs of the game for the Pioneers came in the top of the seventh. Two back-to-back singles by O'Neil and Taylor put two runners on for Iagnemma. Iagnemma laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up a base. 

Arndt came through once again as she ripped a double allowing both Taylor and O'Neil to score making the final score 6-1 in favor of the Pioneers.

Jaylyn Mullenax picked up the win by throwing a complete game for the Point Park going all 7.0 innings giving up only one run on seven hits while picking up 11 strikeouts, a season high for Mullenax.

Mia Arndt led the Pioneer offense going 3 for 4 with three RBIs and a run. Melanie Taylor went 2 for 4 with two runs scored.

Game 2:

Point Park stormed back in the sixth inning capitalized by a two-run home run by Gianna Welsh to cut Oakland City's lead to one but that was not enough as the Mighty Oak's scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to earn the 7-4 win over the Pioneers.

Oakland City scored five runs over the first four innings highlighted by a double by Alyssa Haynes to score two in the bottom of the second and a two-run home run by Danielle Haire in the bottom of the fourth.

The sixth inning was the biggest inning of the game for Point Park as they scored all four of their runs. Melanie Taylor led the inning off with a single through the left side followed up by a single by Mara Iagnemma to left field to put two runners on for Mia Arndt.

With Taylor on third and Iagnemma on second, Arndt ripped a double to centerfield to score both Taylor and Iagnemma cutting the lead down to three for the Mighty Oaks.

Gianna Welsh then came up huge for the Pioneers as she smashed a two-run home run of her own to score Arndt as well. The game was 5-4 in favor of Oakland City going into the bottom of the sixth.

Oakland City picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth capitalized by a solo home run by Jessi Gorforth and a double by Haynes to score Sidney Phillips. This gave the Mighty Oak's a 7-4 lead in which the Pioneers were never able to overcome. 

Savannah Lee started in the circle and was tagged with the loss for the Pioneers as she went 4.0 innings giving up five hits and five runs. Kristyna Mala entered the game in relief and threw 3.0 innings giving up three hits and two runs.

Arndt and Welsh led the Pioneer offense with each picking up two hits and two RBIs in the effort.

With the split the Pioneers move to 12-16 overall and 6-12 in River States Conference play.

Point Park has until Thursday off where they will face Alice Lloyd in a River States Conference East Division matchup. The first time the two met each team walked away with a win.