Woodstock, Ga. - The Robert Morris University softball team proved it has the ability to rally from behind Saturday as the Colonials came back from deficits of three runs and four runs to take down Kennesaw State, 5-4 (8), and Alabama State, 6-5, on the second day of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial at Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
RMU's win against the host Owls, who entered the day at 8-1 on the season, was its first walkoff victory of the year as the Colonials won it in the bottom of the eighth inning when freshman catcher Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) singled into left field to plate senior Katrina Gallagher (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon McMillan). While it was their first walkoff, it was already the third victory of the season for the Colonials in which they scored the winning run in the seventh inning or later.
Robert Morris had fallen behind 5-1 early in its second contest Saturday night, but it scored four runs in the fourth to take the lead for good and held on for another one-run win. The Colonials moved to 4-1 in one-run games this season and have only had one game decided by more than two runs thus far.
Senior Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) posted a team-high three hits on the day as she went 3-for-5 with two walks, a double, a RBI, a run scored and a steal. She notched the 46th multi-hit game of her career against the Hornets and also moved to the brink of becoming just the fifth Colonial to post 100 career runs scored.
Freshman outfielder Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) continued to impress as she went a combined 2-for-5 with a walk Saturday and nailed her third homer of the season, which came in just her 11th collegiate at bat.
Sophomore Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) joined Apke in the homer club as she went 2-for-4 with two RBI in the opener against the Owls and blasted her first long ball of the season. It was her second multi-hit game of the season and the 11th of her career.
Freshman Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) went the distance in the opener to get the complete-game victory and followed that up with recording her first collegiate save in Saturday's finale. She allowed three earned runs on five hits in a combined 8.1 innings while also registering her first-collegiate hit in the opener.
Sleith sent the Owls down in order in top of the first on two strikeouts and a groundout. Redshirt senior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del. / St. Mark's) ripped a single into left to begin the home half but could not advance past first.
Kennesaw State jumped out ahead with a big inning in the second. The Owls had only two hits but also received a trio of walks and a wild pitch, which coupled with a double steal to help Kennesaw State take a 3-0 lead.
RMU loaded the bases with one out in the home half on a pair of walks, by Timko and junior Maritza Jimenez (Vineland, N.J. / Vineland), and an Owl error, but the Colonials could not break through.
Sleith put down the Owls 1-2-3 in the third on a pair of strikeouts and a foulout, and RMU soon evened the contest.
Senior Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) doubled the first pitch into the left center gap and scored when senior Sarah Capp (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour) followed with a two-strike opposite-field single. Siar then connected on a homer to straightaway center on a 2-2 pitch to knot the game, 3-3.
Timko greeted a new pitcher with a walk and Apke then singled up the middle on an 0-2 pitch. After one out, the pair executed a successful double steal to put two runners in scoring position, but RMU was unable to take the lead.
Consecutive one-out walks in the fourth for Kennesaw State were of no scoring consequence as Sleith retired the next two batters to end the frame.
Patton worked a seven-pitch walk with one out in the home half and moved to second when another Colonial reached on an error. With two outs, Timko punched a single up the middle, which easily scored Patton to put the Colonials on top, 4-3.
Kennesaw State had single runners on in the fifth and sixth innings, but RMU made sure that neither advanced past first base.
Sleith knocked her first hit to start the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Calderone, but the Colonials could not muster an insurance run.
The Owls tied the game in the seventh with an unearned run that came on two hits and a Colonial miscue. However, Kennesaw State had the go-ahead run on third with just one out, and Sleith came through in a big way by getting a popup and a groundout to keep the score tied.
Siar singled with one out in the seventh, but the Owls followed with a double play to force extra innings.
With the international tiebreaker rules taking effect in the eighth, the Owls sacrificed their runner right away to have a runner on third with one out. For the second time in two innings, Sleith bore down as Santillo and Patton snagged two foul outs to keep it tied, 4-4.
Santillo strode to the plate with one out and runners on first and second in the eighth and immediately sent the first pitch off the diving third baseman's glove and into left field, which sent the Colonial bench into celebration.
RMU actually took a brief lead early in the second game when it jumped ahead 1-0 in the first. Patton singled up the middle with two strikes to open the bottom half, was moved to second on a sacrifice by Gallagher and came running home when Capp doubled into the right center for her first extra-base hit of the year.
Alabama State broke out its bats in the second inning as it used six hits and a walk to put up all five of its runs and open up a sizeable lead.
Apke led off the second inning and was able to get a little momentum back for RMU by launching a shot that cleared the fence in center field with plenty of room to spare. Sophomore catcher Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) followed with a walk, but the next three Colonials were retired in order.
The Hornets put two on with one out in the third, but RMU was able to escape the threat unscathed.
After a 1-2-3 home half, Alabama State again was denied a chance to add on when a groundout left two runners stranded, and RMU soon responded.
Timko banged the first pitch into right center, and Robert Morris loaded the bases with no outs when Apke and Evans followed with walks. A passed ball advanced each runner, scoring Timko, before junior Britta Grafton (Jamestown, Pa. / Jamestown) came through with a clutch, two-run, opposite-field single to tie the game, a knock which was her first hit of the season. After reaching on a fielder's choice, taking second on a wild pitch and moving to third on a groundout, sophomore Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) came home to score what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the fourth.
RMU accounted for the only baserunner in the fifth inning with a Timko single.
Alabama State drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, but the Hornet was quickly erased when she was caught stealing as Evans gunned down to Show covering at second for the out.
Grafton walked and moved to second with two outs in the sixth, but RMU couldn't cash in on the chance and took a one-run lead into the seventh.
After two quick outs, a throwing error kept the game alive for Alabama State, and a subsequent single moved the tying run into scoring position. Sleith was summoned from the bullpen and responded in the tight spot. She got a looking strikeout on four pitches to wrap up Saturday's play and give RMU its second win of the day.
Sophomore Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) got the win against Alabama State as she settled down after a rough inning to give the Colonial bats a chance to come back.
Capp has reached base safely via a base hit or a walk in all eight games thus far for RMU and has hit in five straight.
Siar notched her fifth-career multi-RBI game in the opener while Grafton registered the ninth such effort of her career against the Hornets. Patton scored three runs Saturday to hit exactly 80 for her career.
RMU will look to keep its momentum going as it finishes action in the tournament Sunday. The Colonials will play a single game against Georgia State, a 2011 NCAA Tournament participant, at 10:30 a.m.
