Fairfield, Conn. - The Robert Morris University softball team clinched the No. 2 seed in the 2008 Northeast Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader from Sacred Heart at Pioneer Field in Fairfield, Conn. The Colonials posted a 2-1 victory in game one, then followed with another 2-1 win in the second game.
The pair of wins improve RMU to 26-18 overall on the 2008 campaign, including a 13-3 mark in the NEC. Long Island claimed the 2008 NEC regular-season championship Saturday with a 10-3 win over Wagner in game one of a doubleheader and will host the 2008 NEC Tournament.
In game one Robert Morris jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning despite just one hit. A one-out walk by junior Lauren Nisivoccia (Nutley, N.J. / Mount St. Dominic) was followed by an RBI double from junior Brooke Panepinto (Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon) to give the Colonials an early lead.
RMU added its second run off Pioneer starter Megan Spehar in the top of the third inning when Nisivoccia singled to drive in freshman Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del. / St. Marks), who reached base with a one-out triple.
That would be all the insurance senior Brenna Reed (Carnegie, Pa. / Montour) would need, as she allowed just two hits while striking out seven in the complete-game win from the circle. Reed allowed the only Sacred Heart run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, which came courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Shannon McCoy.
Calderone finished 2-for-3 with a run at the plate for the Colonials in game one, her team-high 16th multi-hit game of the 2008 campaign. Reed, Nisivoccia, Panepinto, senior Camille Kline (Titusville, Pa. / Titusville) and freshman Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) each finished 1-for-3. Reed improved to 11-9 this season in the circle with the win.
In game two Robert Morris struck first again, plating a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning off Sacred Heart starter Jen Russell. Nisivoccia opened the inning with a bunt single, and after a sacrifice by Panepinto to move Nisivoccia to second, Reed followed with a single through the right side to score Nisivoccia and give RMU a 1-0 advantage.
Two batters later Dubovec, who is hitting .444 (12-for-27) over her last nine games with nine RBI, drove home the second Colonial run with an RBI double to left field to score Reed.
Freshman Lindsey Moates (Ocala, Fla. / Forest) made those two runs stand up, as she scattered five hits over seven innings, walking just one and striking out three. Sacred Heart scored its only run of the second game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jessica Perez had an RBI groundout to score Courtney Lee.
Robert Morris mustered just three hits in game two, but Moates notched her staff-high 13th win of the season against five losses with the complete-game victory.
The Colonials will close out their 2008 regular season Sunday, April 27, with a doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, N.J. First pitch for game one is slated for noon.
