Brooklyn, NY. - On Saturday afternoon, the Robert Morris University softball team opened its final weekend of NEC play at Long Island University. The Blackbirds, who currently sit in first-place in the conference standings, used a last inning rally to outlast the Colonials, 4-3, in the opening game. However in second half of the double feature, LIU surged offensively to defeat the Colonials, 10-1, in just five innings.
Sophomore pitcher Alexa Bryson (Greensburg, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) allowed eight hits and four runs in her ninth loss of the 2010 season.
Robert Morris jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as a LIU throwing error allowed the opening run to pass across the plate. Then the Colonials went ahead 2-0 on an RBI-ground out from Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) that scored Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland).
In the bottom of the fourth, the Blackbirds knotted the game at two as they picked up a pair in a three-hit outburst.
The Colonials regained the lead in top of the sixth as they broke the 2-2 stalemate when Dubovec doubled to centerfield scoring Patton. Despite having two runners on base and no outs, the Blackbirds escaped the inning with RMU holding only a 3-2 advantage.
With just a one run lead, LIU rallied with two outs as they took advantage of Colonial errors in the bottom of the seventh to snatch the 4-3 victory from the hands of Robert Morris.
In game two, the Blackbirds and Colonials stayed scoreless through the opening two frames before the Blackbirds touched up junior pitcher, Dubovec, for seven runs in the bottom of the third.
Dubovec picked up her second RBI of the day as she drove in Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) in the top of the fifth for the Colonials lone score.
But Long Island then brought the day to a quick conclusion as they tacked on an additional trio of runs in the fifth to end the game due with the eight-run rule.
In the circle, Dubovec allowed ten runs and all ten hits in five innings of work.
Tomorrow afternoon, the Colonials will continue their visit to New York when they face Wagner in the NEC finale. The double header is set to begin at noon.
