Clearwater, Fla. - Despite coming away with an identical number of hits, the Robert Morris University softball team fell behind early and could not quite recover as Radford took a 4-3 contest from RMU in its final game of the Spring Break trip Sunday morning at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Junior Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) led the offensive effort for the Colonials by going 2-for-3 with a triple, 2 RBI and a run scored.
Classmate Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) also delivered a three-bagger, leading off the game with a drive to center. Patton followed by sending a clean single through the left side to put RMU on top, which prompted the Highlanders to switch pitchers.
Radford put together four runs in the home half of the first despite a relative dearth of well-hit balls. The Highlanders often used their speed on the base paths to reach and advance to further bases. Four hits, two of which remained in the infield, and multiple steals helped Radford take a 4-1 lead after one full frame.
With the Highlanders looking to add to their lead in the second inning, freshman Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) came up big for the Colonials by nabbing a runner looking to steal.
Redshirt junior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del / St. Mark's) tried to start a one-out rally in the fifth with a single along the right field line, but RMU was unable to move her along.
The Colonials finally caught a break in the sixth when, with two outs, an error allowed Timko to reach and extend the inning. Patton used this new life to Robert Morris' advantage by drilling a triple that hopped up against the fence in right center. Senior Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) followed with a single into left that scored Patton and cut Radford's lead to just one, a margin they would take into the seventh.
Freshman Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) used her speed to single with two outs in the seventh and put the tying runner on base, but a flyout to centefield ended the Colonials' chance at a comeback.
Robert Morris will get another shot at the Highlanders in the near future as the Colonials are set to travel to the Radford Invitational this weekend. RMU will have its first meeting of the season with cross-town rival Pittsburgh Friday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. before getting a second shot at the Highlanders at 5:00 p.m.
