Reivers Pounce, Sweep Ellsworth in Home Opener

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA

A forecasted beautiful day called for an adjustment in the schedule and fellow ICCAC member Ellsworth was more than willing to oblige when the call came.  The series, originally scheduled for March 21st, was bumped up three weeks to take advantage of 60-degree temps on the first day of March.

The Reivers struck first after retiring Ellsworth in order in the top half of the 1st as Natalie Gunn crossed the plate for the first of her three runs in game one.  In addition to the three runs Gunn, a sophomore from Santa Clara, Utah, was 3-3, including a walk, in her four plate appearances.  The Reivers managed just one extra-base hit in the opener, a triple from Brook Melnychuck, a hit that didn't result in a run.  However, Melnychuck did drive in a pair with a sacrifice fly and another hit in a 2-3 performance.  The Reivers also saw RBI from Rebecca Barnett and Katriana Bain, while Julie Katz turned in a complete game, four-hit, eight-strikeout performance. The 5-3 victory was the Reivers second straight after topping NEO in game two on Saturday.

Game two took a bit longer to get established, although Gunn continued to scorch the ball from atop the line-up.  Another three hits, the third of which plated the Reivers first run of the game in a four-run fifth, allowed her to up her batting average on the season to .388 and finish 6-7 on the day.  Gunn is currently the team leader in plate appearances, hits, runs, and stolen bases.  While the table continues to be set with the fleet feet of Gunn, Barnett's two-run double to score McKenna Clausen and Gunn proved to be the big blow in the inning.  The Reivers second baseman holds the team's highest batting average, at .397, and scored the final run in the 4-3 win on Melnychuk's RBI single.  Barnett and 'Chucky' as her teammates call her are one-two on the RBI leaderboard with 21 and 14 respectively.  Of note, Melnychuk earned her first collegiate win in the victory, striking out nine in a complete game appearance.

The Reivers will continue their homestand on Friday afternoon, hosting NIACC for a pair of games.

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