RICHMOND, Ky. - On a wet and stormy afternoon at Gertrude Hood Field, the Eastern Kentucky University softball team powered through rain and lightning to delays to take a doubleheader against Bellarmine on Friday, 2-0 and 10-3.

The Colonels (36-14, 17-5 ASUN) extend their division lead to an insurmountable margin, securing the Gold Division title and a guaranteed top two seed with a three-game bye in the ASUN Softball Championship. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will be decided based on RPI ranking between EKU and North Florida.

With the wins, the Colonels also secured a regular season without dropping a single conference series - their first time ever in the ASUN.

GAME ONE - EKU 2, BELL 0

Starting the day off in the circle for the Colonels was Maddi Rutan (17-8), her 25th start of the season. The sophomore pitched a complete game shutout through 7.0 innings, tallying eight strikeouts and allowing just three total Knight baserunners. The performance was Rutan's 14th complete game and fourth shutout of the season.

The series opener proved a different story than the previous three meetings between the schools, playing out as a pitching duel with the Colonels plating two runs and leaving five runners on base.

Taci Haase opened the scoring for the Colonels in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third, Haase picked up a sacrifice groundout to score Jada McLeod.

After a scoreless third inning, Skyler Billips gave the Colonels a bit more breathing room in the fourth inning, this time with a sac fly to right field.

Though the Colonels could not bring any more runs across the plate, Rutan allowed just one hit and struck out three Knights in the final three frames to secure the game one win.

GAME TWO - EKU 10, BELL 3 (5 inn.)

Lauren Narvaez (3-2) grabbed the start for game two of her Senior Day celebration, pitching 4.0 innings of work to pick up the credit for the win. Victoria Byrum made a relief appearance to finish the remaining 1.0 inning before the game was called early.

The Colonel bats found their groove in game two, getting back into the form they were in for the previous series against Bellarmine as they opened the scoring with four runs in the second inning.

Rutan got the show started with a lead-off solo home run, her twelfth of the year and first since Apr. 2 against Morehead State. Skyler Billips picked up her second RBI of the day four batters later with a fielder's choice. Reese Knox helped Billips reach home with a catcher's interference, knocking the glove off of the catcher's hand as she swung a 3-1 pitch. Makayla Mathis pushed the final run across with a bases-loaded walk.

The Knights inched back into the game with a run apiece in the third and fourth innings, their first points against the Colonels in five games this season, before a lightning delay paused play for an hour and a half.

Needing at least 4.5 innings played if they held the lead for the contest to count as an official game, the two squads got back after it in the bottom of the fourth, where the Colonel offense did not lose a step from the delay.

Reese Knox made up for her earlier missed RBI on the catcher's interference with an RBI single through the right side for the first of five runs in the frame. Makayla Mathis followed suit with a sac fly in a bases-loaded situation. Rutan put a bow on her performance with her second home run of the game - a three-run shot over the left center fence. 

The Knights notched a second solo home run in the top of the fifth to keep the Colonels away from run rule territory, 9-3. Haase plated the final run of the game with a double to right field that caused havoc in the Knight defense in the fifth inning.

The Colonels threatened a run rule walkoff shortly after, getting runners on first and second with no outs before a second weather delay hit the stadium. This time, the rain proved too much as the game was called and made official to secure the win, the series, and the title for the Colonels.

UP NEXT

The Colonels and Knights will look to finish the series with a final game tomorrow at noon, weather dependent. Afterwards, the Colonels await their final seeding in the ASUN Championship, set to open their tournament run in the quarterfinals on May 8.