RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University softball team kept the momentum rolling on Sunday afternoon thanks to a career day from Maddi Rutan as they completed their two-game sweep over the Indiana State Sycamores and Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons.

The Colonels (17-5, 0-0 ASUN) complete their second perfect weekend in a row, extending their winning streak to nine games as they prepare to head into conference play. The Sycamores and Mastodons fall to 5-17 and 4-12, respectively.

GAME ONE - EKU 6, ISU 4

Rutan (7-3) got the nod for the start in game one and was the only pitcher the Colonels needed to get the win, her third complete game of the season and sixth game with 6.0 or more innings pitched.

The standout sophomore turned in a career performance from the circle, setting a new career-best in strikeouts with 14 on the day. Her previous best stood at 13, set against Kennesaw State last season. The pitching performance capped off an undefeated weekend for Rutan, who grabbed credit for the win in all three of her pitching appearances.

The Colonels struck first to open the scoring in a game that nearly mimicked the previous meeting between the two teams the day before.

In the first inning with runners on second and third, Jada McLeod put a difficult ball into play, leading to a fielding error by the Mastodons that scored two runs thanks to aggressive baserunning by Jaelin Haynes and Rutan. Two innings later, Lilly Davis added to the lead with a sacrifice fly to give the Colonels a 3-0 for the second game in a row.

However, similar to the day before, the Sycamores responded. With a big four-run fourth inning, Indiana State quickly eliminated the three-run advantage and gained the lead, 4-3.

This time, the Colonels did not wait until the final frame to respond. Keeping the pressure up on the basepaths, Kennedy Drafton forced a throwing error at third base on a flyout by Davis, allowing her to take home plate and tie the game.

With another runner on third base, Riley Oleksik chose a great time to collect her first collegiate RBI, lining a single up the middle to put the Colonels in front once again.

Aggressive baserunning was the name of the game once again for the Colonels in the sixth. Reaching base on a fielder's choice, Haynes made her way around the bases nearly by herself to stretch the Colonel lead to two. The junior stole second and capitalized on the subsequent throwing error to take third before making her way home off a wild pitch.

Holding a two-run lead, Rutan shut down the Sycamore offense in the final frame, downing the final two ISU batters swinging for strikeouts thirteen and fourteen on the day to secure the win.

GAME TWO - EKU 11, PFW 1 (5 inn.)

Lauren Narvaez (2-1) started the game in the circle for just the second time this season and grabbed the win, while Victoria Byrum also made an appearance in relief.

Offense flowed freely and openly for the Colonels from the start, immediately jumping out to a seven-run lead in just the first inning. Rutan got things started with her second home run of the weekend and the Colonels' fourth three-run shot in as many games. 

Davis followed shortly after with an RBI double to right center before Haynes cleared a set of loaded bases on a three RBI double to left.

The Colonels did not slow down in the second as Oleksik added two more RBIs to go with the first of her career from game one, belting a double down the right field line. Taci Haase tacked on one more with a sacrifice groundout to put the Colonels firmly in run rule territory, 10-0.

Drafton added one more run for insurance in the third, taking home plate on a passed ball by the Mastodon catcher. 

The Mastodons mustered a single run in the fifth and threatened to spoil the run rule by loading the bases with no outs in the fifth. However, the Colonel defense tightened up in a big way as they downed the next three batters, including two strikeouts from Byrum, for the run rule victory.

UP NEXT

The Colonels make the trip to Louisville for a midweek matchup with their ACC foe Cardinals on Mar. 12 at 5 PM before returning to Gertrude Hood Field for the conference-opening series against Central Arkansas on Mar. 14-15.