Moon Township, Pa. - Senior Sarah Capp (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour) went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBI to lead the Robert Morris University softball team to a 5-2 victory over Monmouth in its doubleheader opener Saturday afternoon at the North Athletic Complex.
The Hawks responded in the nightcap by claiming a narrow, 3-2 victory.
Capp finished the day by going a combined 4-for-6 as she also walked and was hit by a pitch. Capp's seventh multi-hit game of the season and the 23rd of her career allowed her to surpass 100 hits for her career in the opening contest. Capp's team-leading fifth homer, which gave her long balls on five of the past six days on which RMU has played, gave the veteran her fourth three-RBI game since March 17 and the 18th multi-RBI game of her career.
Freshman Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) also made notable contributions offensively as she went 3-for-6 with a double, a walk, a RBI and a run scored. She notched her second multi-hit game in the last four days in the opener before collecting her seventh extra-base hit in 42 at bats this season to raise her slugging percentage to .643.
Senior Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) went 2-for-5 Saturday with a walk, two sacrifices, a RBI and a run scored. The run batted in was the 75th of her career, which moved her into the top 10 all-time at Robert Morris in that category. Timko also notched the 52nd multi-hit game of her career, moving her four-year total to 176, and moved within five runs of matching RMU's all-time record.
Freshman Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) won her seventh straight start in the opener as she went the distance and allowed just two runs. She struck out 10 batters, notching back-to-back double-digit strikeout performances, while giving up just one walk in the game.
Sleith worked around a walk and a single in the first, and RMU immediately jumped on top in the bottom half.
Redshirt senior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del. / St. Mark's) drilled a single through the left side and moved to third one out later when Timko singled to center. Capp then followed with a single to left that scored Calderone and moved Timko to third. Capp subsequently took off for second on the next pitch, and an errant throw by the Hawks allowed Timko to come scooting home.
Monmouth got a one-out double in the second, but Sleith struck out each of the next two batters to end the threat. Apke singled with two down in the bottom half but could not advance.
An error and a single put two runners on for the Hawks with one out, but Sleith got another strikeout and a popup to again work out of trouble.
RMU would double its lead in the third frame when a leadoff single by Evans was followed by a blast by Capp one out later to make it 4-0. Freshman Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) would then try to start a rally by sending a single into left. Sophomores Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) and Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) would both follow with full-count walks, but a fielder's choice and a groundout ended the inning.
Sleith sent Monmouth down in order in the fourth on a strikeout and two groundouts. Evans walked and Capp singled in the bottom half, but both were left on base.
Sleith struck out the side in the fifth, but Monmouth mixed a solo homer in between to get on the board for the first time.
The Hawks continued to cut into the deficit when their leadoff hitter in the sixth nailed another long ball, making it 4-2. Monmouth then used two hits with two outs to put the tying runs in scoring position, but Sleith got a big strikeout to end the dangerous situation.
Apke singled to short to open the bottom half, moved up to second on a sacrifice by Calderone and came around to score with two outs when Timko singled to left center.
RMU finished off the game when Sleith snared a comebacker line drive and fired to second base to double off a runner.
With the Game One victory, Robert Morris had won 11 of its last 12 contests and also notched a double-figure hit total for the ninth time in their past 10 games.
Sleith worked around a walk that started the first inning of the second game. Timko walked with two outs in the bottom half, and Capp was then hit by a pitch, but both runners were stranded.
Siar's two-out single to center accounted for the lone baserunner of the second before Monmouth jumped ahead in the third on consecutive hits, a single and a double.
Evans singled to left with one out in the third and moved up on a sacrifice by Timko, but she was not advanced farther.
Monmouth could only muster an infield single in the fourth, and RMU would soon even it although the Colonials were unfortunate not to come away with additional runs.
Santillo singled to left to open the frame, Apke followed with a nine-pitch walk and Show then beat out a bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs. Siar drew a walk to bring in a run, but the Colonials would not be able to get any more as two strikeouts and a popup left three runners stranded.
The Hawks came right back in the fifth as a leadoff double and a one-out single put them in front although Sleith was able to leave a runner at third when she recorded a looking strikeout.
Robert Morris would again tie in the next half inning. Capp reached on an infield single, and Santillo followed with a nine-pitch walk before Apke doubled into the left center gap. RMU again left a pair in scoring position, though, when a flyout and a groundout ended the frame.
Monmouth again moved ahead in the sixth when Vanessa Cardoza homered to left center, providing what proved to be the winning run.
Calderone singled with one out in the bottom half and moved to second on a sacrifice by Evans, but a strikeout ended the chance.
Apke reached base with two outs in the seventh, but Show's sharp liner was handled by the first baseman to conclude the day's action.
Caldeorne increased her career hit total to 178, remaining in fourth all-time, and also moved into sole possession of seventh place in career runs with 94.
Santillo extended her season-high hitting streak to 10 games while Timko has now reached base in a team season-high 11 consecutive contests.
After going 3-1 in its first four games at home, Robert Morris will conclude its six-game homestand Sunday when it meets Fairleigh Dickinson in another Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader. The first pitch of the opener is set for Noon.
