Washington, D.C. - A pair of Colonial pitchers combined to allow just one earned run in two games Saturday at the Colonial Classic, but the Robert Morris University softball team was unable to come away with a victory in either of its games as it dropped two one-run contests at Mount Vernon Field.
RMU dropped its opener to Stony Brook, 1-0, and then fell to host George Washington, 2-1, to complete the day.
Sophomore Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) threw a strong complete game against George Washington as she allowed just two singles and zero earned runs in the contest. Badolato, who lowered her ERA to 2.57 in the process, allowed no earned runs in a start for the first time this season and the sixth in her career.
Freshman Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) joined Badolato in tossing a complete-game as the rookie conceded just three hits and a lone run against the Seawolves. It was the fourth time in her first five starts that Sleith, who decreased her ERA to 1.65, allowed two or fewer runs in a contest.
Senior Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) went 2-for-5 with a walk and a run scored Saturday. When Timko came around and touched home, she became just the fifth Colonial ever to tally 100 career runs scored. She also moved into sole possession of 10th place in career hits at Robert Morris with 161, and she now sits just seven more base-knocks away from moving into the top five in that category.
Senior Katrina Gallagher (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon McMillan) was on base three times as she collected a RBI double, walked and was hit by a pitch. Gallagher, who also stole a base Saturday, has now reached base safely via a hit or walk in each of her last six games played. She has also reached safely in every game in which she has started this season.
In the opener against Stony Brook, Gallagher worked an eight-pitch, full-count walk with one out in the top of the first. She then stole second with two outs but was left stranded in scoring position even though RMU saw 25 pitches in the opening frame.
The Seawolves got the only run they would need in the bottom half when two hits and a steal gave Stony Brook a 1-0 edge.
Each side went down in order in the second inning as Sleith was working on a stretch in which she would send down nine consecutive Seawolves' batters.
Timko got down in the count, 1-2, with two outs in the third but battled back to work a 10-pitch walk to keep the inning alive. However, the Colonials were unable to use the free pass to their advantage.
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the next two half-innings and a Stony Brook walk in the fourth amounted to nothing.
A two-out single by the Seawolves accounted for the only baserunner of the fifth, but she was left at first base.
Timko again had another long at bat with one away in the sixth as she knocked a single up the middle on the eighth pitch of the AB. Gallagher was promptly hit by a pitch, putting two runners aboard with one out, but RMU couldn't find a clutch hit.
In their final chance, junior Maritza Jimenez (Vineland, N.J. / Vineland) worked a walk with two outs to put the tying run on base, but a strikeout ended the Colonials' comeback chances.
After Robert Morris was set down in order to open its second game, George Washington took the lead without the benefit of a hit as a walk, two steals and a RMU miscue led to an unearned run.
GW left two runners on in the second but doubled its lead in the third when a single, a groundout, a passed ball and a double steal led to another unearned run for the hosts.
RMU's bats awoke at the beginning of the fourth as Timko singled the first pitch through the right side before Gallagher launched a double to left that scored her classmate all the way from first. Unfortunately for RMU, Gallagher was thrown out trying to extend the hit into a triple.
Sophomore Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) caught a runner trying to steal in the fourth to quell any potential GW rally.
After each side went down in order in the fifth, redshirt senior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del. / St. Mark's) led off the sixth with a pinch-hit, full-count walk. Calderone was soon sacrificed to second by senior Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland), but she was left on base as a lineout and a groundout ended the frame.
Evans nabbed another runner trying to steal in the sixth, which gave RMU one final chance to equalize it in the seventh.
Sophomore Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) provided an opposite-field single with one out, and RMU moved the tying run into scoring position when freshman Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) punched a pinch-hit single with two outs. However, GW was able to get a groundout to close out the affair.
RMU was initially scheduled to complete the tournament with two games Sunday, but the Colonials will now only play one due to field conditions. Robert Morris will meet Buffalo Sunday at 11:00 a.m. to finish out the weekend.
