Charlotte, N.C. - After trailing 4-0 just a half inning into its 2011 season opener, the Robert Morris University softball team staged an impressive comeback by scoring in each of the first four frames and rallied for an 11-7 victory against tournament host Charlotte in round robin play in the Green and White Tournament at the D.L. Phillips Complex Friday afternoon.
The Colonials were unable to keep the momentum going, though, and dropped a 10-4 decision to James Madison later Friday.
The offensive outburst against Charlotte, a 40-win team in 2010, marked the most runs RMU has ever scored in a season opener during Head Coach Craig Coleman's, M.D., 21-season tenure.
Senior Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) and junior Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) led the offensive efforts for RMU. The former went 6-for-8 on the day with five RBI, a home run, a double, a walk and a steal. Timko went 4-for-5 with two RBI and reached base in seven of eight trips to the plate, including drilling a homer to center in the Colonials' first plate appearance of the season.
Dubovec collected a pair of three-hit games, the seventh and eighth of her career, while the homer for Timko was the 14th dinger of her career, the most among all active Colonials.
Dubovec also got the win on the mound against the 49ers by pitching five and two-thirds innings while allowing just three hits and one run. It marked just the second time in Dubovec's career in which she crushed a home run and was credited with the win in the same contest.
After falling behind in an early four-run hole, Timko and Dubovec each smashed solo home runs in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit in half.
Charlotte added two more runs in the second before Dubovec entered the circle and quieted the 49er bats. She came on in relief with runners on the corners and only one out and recorded consecutive groundouts to prevent any further damage.
RMU added another run in the second with a pair of singles and a walk but still entered the bottom of the third trailing, 6-3.
The Colonials batted around and took the lead for good with a five-run third courtesy of four hits, a walk, a hit batter, a steal, a Charlotte error and a run-scoring fielder's choice. Junior Katrina Gallagher's (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon McMillan) two-run single to left tied the game, 6-6, before captain Jessica Calderone's (Wilmington, Del. / St. Mark's) groundout brought home freshman Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) with the go-ahead run.
After Dubovec struck out the side in order in the fourth, RMU added a ninth tally in the bottom half to push its margin to three.
Charlotte put its first two runners on in the fifth, but Dubovec retired the next three batters on a popup and two groundouts to halt the rally dead in its tracks. The 49ers scored their lone run off the senior in the sixth, but the Colonial offense made sure to get it back in the home half.
RMU struck with a pair in the sixth thanks in large part to their patience at the plate as the Colonials drew three walks during the frame, including two with the bases loaded.
Dubovec ended the high-scoring affair without any dramatics in the seventh by retiring the side in order with the game concluding when Show snared a liner.
Timko collected the 12th 3-hit game of her career in the opener while Gallagher registered the first multi-RBI game of her career.
RMU seemed poised for an opening-day sweep when it scored a pair of runs in the top of the first in the nightcap against the Dukes. Timko started the inning with a single to center before Calderone sacrificed her to second. Dubovec and sophomore Britta Grafton (Jamestown, Pa. / Jamestown) followed with singles before senior Kayla Crooks (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear) delivered a run with a double to right.
Another Dubovec hit scored freshman Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) in the second, but James Madison had put six runs on the board in the first two innings to take a 6-3 lead after two.
Robert Morris had a golden opportunity to cut into the deficit in the fifth when the Colonials loaded the bases with no outs, but the Dukes were able to get out of the inning unscathed and proceeded to hold on to the victory.
Grafton went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored against James Madison while Crooks tallied her third career multi-RBI game by going 2-for-4.
A trio of Colonial freshman--Evans, Show and Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area)--each recorded their first collegiate hit for Robert Morris on the season's first day.
Charlotte had played 11 games this season before its meeting with the Colonials while the Dukes had six games under their belt.
Robert Morris will conclude pool play Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. with a game against Seton Hall. The Colonials will then play at either 2:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. Saturday depending on their seeding after the completion of pool play.
