Queens, NY – In day one of the 2009 NEC Softball Tournament, the Robert Morris University softball team saw its season come to a disappointing close after dropping to decisions to Sacred Heart and Long Island. The Colonials fell 4-2 to the Pioneers in the opening game, and lost 7-3 to the Blackbirds in the elimination game on Friday afternoon.
The opening contest was a pitcher's duel between RMU's All-NEC Second Team right hander Alexa Bryson (Greensburg, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) and SHU's All-NEC Jen Russell until the Pioneers connected for a solo shot in the top of the fifth.
The Colonials wasted no time getting back in the game as they recorded a pair of runs to steal the lead at 2-1. The senior duo of Lauren Nisivoccia (Nutley, NJ / Mount St. Dominic) and Brooke Panepinto (Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon), who was recently named to the All-NEC First Team, each notched a RBI in the bottom half of the fifth frame.
The Pioneers then fought back in the top of the sixth with another home run to tie the game at two all.
The top of the seventh inning saw SHU regain the lead by virtue of a two-run homer from Adrian Fitzsimon. The Pioneer's defensive unit held strong in the final frame to post the 4-2 victory.
Bryson put forth a complete game effort as she struck out six and walked one.
After losing to No. 4 Monmouth in their first game, the No. 1 LIU Blackbirds would face No. 2 Robert Morris in the elimination game.
To open game two, freshman Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) smashed a solo shot on the third pitch of the contest to take an early 1-0 lead for the Colonials.
However, the Blackbirds quickly recovered to put up two in the bottom half of the first and one in the second to take a 3-1 lead.
Timko would then improve to two-for-two on the day with her second blast in the top of the third to score Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) and deadlock the contest at three. Timko's home run was her 10th of the season. She now ranks second all-time for most home runs in a single season.
With two on in the bottom of the third, LIU added two more runs to take a 5-3 advantage off a double from Amanda MacIntosh.
In the bottom of the sixth frame, the Blackbirds tacked on an additional two runs with two outs to extend the lead to 7-3.
With the top of the order up in the seventh, the Colonials hoped to rally back but were put away quickly as their season drew to a close with the loss.
Bryson concluded her first season with a 19-7 record. Against LIU, she fanned three and allowed seven hits.
Robert Morris concludes the 2009 season with an overall record of 25-21 while finishing 12-8 in NEC play.
