Indianapolis, Ind. – The Aquinas College softball team made their 2024 NAIA Opening Round debut today (May 13) against the No. 5 seed Rio Grande Red Storm. AQ entered the Indianapolis bracket as the No. 4 seed and the two teams battled it out for a chance to take on the top-seeded Marian Knights tomorrow.

The game was one of runners left on base as the two teams stranded a combined 21 runners over seven innings, with each team stranding at least one runner in all seven frames. Rio Grande brought three more runners home after a late push in the sixth and seventh innings, taking the game 5-2 over AQ.

The result drops AQ into the consolation bracket for the tournament. The Saints will now need to go on a bit of a run for a chance to make it to the NAIA Softball World Series in Georgia. Aquinas will need to win its next five consecutive games to make it out of the bracket.

Rio Grande 5, Aquinas 2

The Red Storm picked up the first hit of the contest in the top of the first with a one-out double. Despite the threat, the double on second never amounted to anything as Grace Maguire generated consecutive groundouts to keep the game scoreless.

Similarly, in the bottom of the first, AQ managed to put two runners in scoring position after Haley Myers reached base on an error and Courtney Hardin was hit by a pitch. However, a strikeout ended the inning and prevented AQ from doing any damage.

Rio Grande earned the first run of the game after Gabby Adams took the first pitch out in the second inning. Several at-bats later, a great play from Kaelyn Stafford in center resulted in an out at home to keep the game at a one-run difference. AQ found a quick response to tie the game after a series of singles from Stafford, Carson Hendrickson, and Elizabeth Haunhorst tied the game at one. Aquinas had the pressure on to take the lead with two runners in scoring position once again, but two quick outs kept the game tied.

The Red Storm took the lead back in the away half of the third with a pair of singles and a walk, making the game 2-1. The away side nearly managed to increase its lead in the top of the fifth with a bases-loaded situation. Maguire managed to get out of the jam with a groundout to Hendrickson to maintain a one-run deficit with two and a half innings to play.

Hardin walked and stole second with two outs in the bottom of the fifth before a huge RBI single from Darrien Roberts tied the game up at two. Once again, this tied game did not last long as Rio Grande found an immediate response once again. The Red Storm scored on a sacrifice fly to take a 3-2 lead.

The Ohio team then capitalized off of a massive AQ error in the top of the seventh to increase its lead to three. Aquinas dropped a foul ball that would have resulted in an out. Instead, Adams crushed another ball over the left field wall to bring two runs home.

Hardin walked once again in the bottom of the seventh before a single dropped into right field for Roberts, bringing the tying run to the plate for AQ with just one out. Unfortunately, a strikeout followed by a flyout to right field ended AQ's comeback bid.

By the Numbers

• Rio Grande outhit the Saints 10-6 while AQ left 11 runners on base to URG's 10.
• Maguire pitched all seven innings, allowing three earned runs off of 10 hits and five walks.
• Roberts and Haunhorst hit in the two AQ runs. Roberts also led the team with two hits.

Up Next

The Saints are awaiting their opponent for tomorrow (May 14) at 1:30 p.m. AQ will either take on Southern Oregon or Middle Georgia State. The winner of this game will advance in the tournament while the loser will be eliminated from the postseason.