Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University football team snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday afternoon by pitching its first shutout since 2006 with a 28-0 victory over in-state rival Saint Francis at Joe Walton Stadium.

RMU improves to 1-6 overall on the season, including 1-3 in Northeast Conference play, while the Red Flash fell to 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the league.

Neither team cracked the scoreboard in the first 15 minutes of play, and the Colonials took a 7-0 lead at the 8:18 mark of the second quarter when junior running back Josh Kiel (Valencia, Pa. / Mars Area) capped an eight-play, 46-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run.

It marked the only score of the first half as defense took center stage, with Robert Morris holding Saint Francis to 131 yards of total offense, while the Red Flash held the Colonials to just 111 total yards.

RMU nursed a 7-0 lead into the second half until junior defensive back Rolf Bathold (Naples, Fla. / Lely) stepped in front of a John Kelly pass for an interception and scampered 25 yards for a touchdown to give the Colonials a 14-0 cushion with 5:09 to go in the third quarter.

The Colonials added a pair of touchdowns in the final 15 minutes, with freshman quarterback Jeff Sinclair (Natrona Heights, Pa. / Highlands) and junior fullback Jamar Cromwell (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Schenley) each posting one-yard touchdown runs.

Sinclair's touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter and capped an eight-play, 69-yard drive. Sinclair completed a pair of passes to sophomore tight end Shadrae King (McKeesport, Pa. / McKeesport) during the drive, the first for 29 yards and the second for 28 yards down to the Red Flash two-yard line. 

The final touchdown of the afternoon came courtesy of the RMU defense, which intercepted Kelly for the second time. On 2nd-and-10 at the Saint Francis 11-yard line, Kelly dropped back and tried to hit Antoine Rivera in the flat, but junior defensive lineman Chris Roberts (Bear, Del. / Caravel Academy) batted the pass into the air. Junior linebacker Alex DiMichele (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Sto-Rox) got under the ball for the interception and rumbled 10 yards before being stopped short of the goal line by Alen Averi.  

Cromwell punched it in a play later to give Robert Morris a 28-0 advantage.

RMU allowed Saint Francis to compile just 42 yards of total offense in the second and 173 overall, while the Colonials finished with 247 yards of total offense. Sinclair finished 6-for-17 passing for 123 yards, throwing one interception, while also rushing 11 times for 21 yards and a score. Junior halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca) was held in check, rushing for just 48 yards on 14 carries.

King led the receiving corps for Robert Morris with three receptions for 56 yards, while sophomore Anthony Coleman (Cheltenham, Md. / St. John's) had two catches for 21 yards and senior wide receiver Sherrod Evers (Philadelphia, Pa. / Mastbaum Area) one reception for 46 yards.

Robert Morris finished with nine tackles for losses that totaled 31 yards, including a pair of sacks. Roberts finished with one-and-a-half sacks, teaming with freshman defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof (Gibsonia, Pa. / Mars Area), making his first career start, to sack Kelly in the first half.

Bathold finished with four solo tackles, a forced fumble, pass breakup and blocked kick, while junior linebacker Elias Navarro (Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / South Plantation) paced the defensive unit with seven tackles.

The Colonials have a week off thanks to a bye and will return to action Saturday, Oct. 31, with a Noon kickoff against Sacred Heart at Joe Walton Stadium.