Moon Township, Pa. / North Athletic Complex-The Robert Morris University softball team was swept by local rival Pittsburgh, 5-1 and 8-0, in the team's home opener at North Athletic Complex Tuesday afternoon. The squads needed 11 innings to settle the first game before the Panthers took the game two victory in five innings.
Alexa Bryson (Greensburg, Pa. / Latrobe Area) and Pittburgh's Cory Berliner locked up in a pitcher's duel in the opener. Bryson pitched seven innings, allowing just one earned run and five hits while striking out three. Berliner threw all 11 innings while giving up six hits and just one run. She fanned nine batters. Neither pitcher issued a walk. RMU freshman Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) entered in the eighth and was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs in the decisive 11th frame.
Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) got the first hit of the game in the third inning as she legged out an infield single, then advanced to second on an errant throw from the catcher. Katrina Gallagher (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon McMillan) went to first after getting hit by a pitch on the leg, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) then slapped a shot through the left side, scoring Show from second and giving RMU the 1-0 lead.
The Panthers(19-6) got their leadoff hitter on to start off the fourth inning as Reba Tutt sent a shot off the center field fence for a stand-up double. Bryson left her stranded on the base paths, however, inducing a pair of pop-ups and a ground out to end the threat.
Tutt tried to rally Pitt again in the sixth inning, lacing a triple to right field, but was left stranded when Bryson set Ashley Amistade down on strikes.
Facing a 1-0 deficit in the top of the seventh, the Panthers put runners on first and second after back-to-back singles by Kelly Hmiel and Yvette Bravo with one out. A single through the middle by Niki Cognigni scored Hmiel and advanced Bravo to second while knotting the score at 1-1. Bryson limited the damage there with a popout and flyout.
The Panthers finally took advantage of the international tie-breaker rule in the top of the 11th inning. After pinch-runner Ashlyn Zellefrow was advanced to third, she scored easily when Ashley Amistade singled up the middle, breaking the tie. Pitt tacked on three more runs, taking advantage of a passed ball and a fielding error on Hmiel's grounder through the right side. The Panthers took a 5-1 lead, winning the contest by that margin as the Colonials failed to score in their half of the inning.
Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler) went 2-4 in the opener as did the Panther's Tutt.
After scoring twice in the first inning, the Panthers got back-to-back bombs from Kristen Cheesebrew and Tutt in the top of the second frame to take an early lead in game two. Cheesebrew's knock to center brought in two runs and Tutt's shot well over the left field fence made it 5-0.
The first three Pitt batters reached base to start the fifth inning. A diving stop by Colonials shortstop Show saved a run and produced an out when she got the force at third. After a double steal, Hmiel grounded out to second plating a second run and an infield single by Bravo pushed the lead to 8-0.
Alyssa O'Connell picked up her seventh win for Pittsburgh by fanning six batters and allowing three hits in five innings of work. RMU senior Annie Dubovec (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) fell to 2-4 as she gave up five runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings of work. Badolato allowed three runs while finishing the remainder of the game for the Colonials.
Redshirt-junior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Dela. / St. Mark's) went 2-for-2 to lead the RMU offense. Patton accounted for the only other Colonials hit.
Pitt's Holly Stevens and Kelly Hmiel each had two runs batted in. Cheesebrew collected hits in each of her two plate appearances and had two RBI and two runs to show for it.
The Colonials turn right back around and host Youngstown State tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23, in a doubleheader slated to start at 3:00 p.m.
