MOBILE, Ala. – Behind a 7-inning, 1-hit complete game from freshman Maddi Rutan against Northern Illinois and a come-from-behind battle in the seventh inning over Central Michigan, EKU softball ends the first day of the South Alabama Invitational with a 2-0 record on Friday at Jaguar Field.
 
With Friday's victories, EKU moves to 6-0 to start the 2024 campaign, its best start to a season in program history.
 
Aiding in EKU's historic start is freshman two-way player Rutan, who neared her second no-hitter in three starts, tossing a 7-inning complete game with two strikeouts.
 
Offensively, EKU scored three runs to claim the win off hits by Reese Knox, Jeanay Riley, and a bases loaded walk from Madison Scott.  Riley and Scott move to .500 batting averages after Friday's performances.
 
In game two, EKU stood toe-to-toe with Central Michigan, pulling out the 7-4 win off a 7th-inning rally to move to 6-0 on the season.  Three Colonel pitchers threw in the latter half of Friday's doubleheader, Rutan earned the win in relief tossing 3.1 innings with six strikeouts.
 
In four appearances and 20.1 innings thus far, Rutan owns a clean 4-0 record from the circle with 21 strikeouts and a 0.41 earned run average.  Opposing batters are hitting just .077 from the plate against the Columbus, Indiana native.
 
Game 1 | EKU 3, Northern Illinois 0
The Colonels and Huskies played to a standstill through five innings, broken by a Knox single up the middle and a Riley double to right center for a 2-0 EKU lead.
 
EKU's Rutan struck out in her first four innings pitching.
 
EKU loaded the bases in the top of the sixth off two bases on balls and a NIU error from the outfield, Scott earned another walk to bring in Rutan, padding the visiting team's lead to 3-0.
 
After a 42-minute rain delay, Rutan was called back to the circle in the bottom and went three up, three down in the bottom half of the frame, keeping her no-hit bid alive.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Northern Illinois' Courtney James broke Rutan's no-hit bid singling off a hard-hit ball to the second base hole.  Despite breaking the bid, Rutan got the next three hitters out off pop ups and a ground out to close the game 3-0, EKU.
 
After game one on Friday, Rutan, in three collegiate starts, has thrown one perfect game and one 1-hit performance from the circle.
 
Game 2 | EKU 7, Central Michigan 4
In the latter, CMU opened the game with a double to center field scoring two previous walks issued by starter Victoria Byrum.  
 
Despite an answer from Scott in the top of the second, CMU would add another run in the bottom of the inning, padding its lead to 3-1.
 
A Drafton single to right field, which scored two Colonels, tied the game at three all in the top of the fourth.  The Colonels took the lead at 4-3 as Riley joined in the action, sending a gapper to left bringing Drafton around the bases.
 
CMU's Grace Koenig equalized the game at four in the bottom of the inning, signaling a EKU call to the pen to bring in Rutan.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Rutan struck out all three CMU batters, while continuing her display into the sixth, adding two more K's, bringing her total to seven on the day.
 
The Colonels got hot in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs off hits from Jaelin Haynes and Jasmine Miller to take a 7-4 lead.
 
Rutan struck out the final Central Michigan batter looking to seal the day and a 7-4 win for EKU.
 
Next Up
EKU returns to action tomorrow with a doubleheader against Central Michigan at 12:30 p.m. EST and host-school South Alabama at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Fans can follow the action on Statbroadcast for both games.