Hamden, Conn. ? On Saturday afternoon, the Robert Morris University softball team traveled to the campus of Quinnipiac University for a makeup twin bill against the Bobcats. Needing to win one game to advance to the NEC Tournament, the Colonials responded with two victories as they downed the Bobcats 3-0 and 5-2.
With the sweep, Robert Morris moves to 25-19 overall and 12-6 in conference play.
In the first contest, the Colonials put their first run on the board in the top of the second with a solo home run to left field from sophomore Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston).
Thanks to hits from freshmen Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) and Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) the Colonials added another two runs in the fifth to close out the win.
In her 20th complete game of the year, freshman Alexa Bryson (Greensburg, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) picked up her 19th win and fourth shutout of 2009. In the opening game, she struck out eight and scattered five hits. With her 19th triumph, Bryson joins Lauren Dickinson, Tera Prosser and Erica Schwanke as the fourth Colonial pitcher to record at least 19 wins in one season.
The Colonials kept the bats hot in game two, as they scored two with a triple from senior Susan Perich (Center, Pa. / Center) to start off the first frame.
In the third, RMU added two additional runs to take a 4-0 edge with a single from Katrina Gallagher (Canonsburg, Pa. /Canon McMillan) who scored on a double by Lauren Nisivoccia (Nutley, NJ / Mount St. Dominic). Nisivoccia stole home to score the Colonials fourth run.
The Bobcats then picked up one run in the third and another in the fifth to cut the deficit in half, but the Colonials tacked on a final run with a Timko homer in the top of the seventh to cruise to the 5-2 victory.
Dubovec got the start in game two as she posted her sixth victory of the season. She allowed two runs on six hits in her 21st appearance.
Robert Morris will play next in the NEC Tournament against Sacred Heart as the two seed for a chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Conference championships begin on Friday and will be hosted by Long Island University.
