Hamden, Conn. - The Robert Morris University softball team clinched a playoff berth Saturday afternoon after freshman Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) twirled a three-hit shutout at Quinnipiac as RMU took the opener, 1-0, in a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader at QU Softball Field.
Although it dropped the nightcap, 3-1, the Colonials still claimed a spot in the postseason for the fifth-consecutive season, extending the league's longest active streak.
Redshirt senior Jessica Calderone (Wilmington, Del. / St. Mark's) tied a significant school record Saturday as she saw action in both ends of the twinbill to match RMU's all-time games played record with 190.
Sleith was downright dominant in the opener as she notched her third shutout of the season, posting eight strikeouts against one walk and no hit batters. With that effort, she became the first Colonial freshman ever, and just the fourth RMU pitcher overall, to surpass 200 strikeouts in a season. The effort doubled as her 20th win of 2012 as she becomes just the fifth Colonial in history to hit that mark in a single season. Sleith, who now has 102 strikeouts against just 12 walks in her past 13 starts, also moved into the single-season top 10 in complete games at Robert Morris (21).
Senior Jaci Timko (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers Houston) made a critical defensive play in the opener before launching a homer in the nightcap to become just the second Colonial ever to reach 25 long balls in a career. She posted her 194th hit with the home run and extended her program-record run total to 126.
Calderone singled with one out in the opener of the first inning, but Quinnipiac turned a double play to end the chance. Sleith worked around an error in the bottom half by striking out the Bobcats' cleanup hitter, the start of a stretch in which she would send down 10 straight.
RMU went down in order in both the second and third before securing the only run it would need in the fourth. Sophomore Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) started the frame with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice by Calderone and advanced to third on a groundout. Show then came home to score when Quinnipiac couldn't make a play on a grounder to get the speedy Timko in time.
Freshman Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) singled into center with two outs in the fifth but would not advance.
The Bobcats got a leadoff walk in the fifth, and the runner moved to second on a groundout. After a popup, Quinnipiac got its first hit, a single up the middle. The Bobcats waved their runner up, but Timko threw a strike to Santillo at the dish to gun down the runner and keep the lead intact.
After RMU went down in order, Quinnipiac had another chance in the sixth. An error, a sacrifice and a steal put a Bobcat on third with just one out, but Sleith escaped the threat by retiring each of the next two batters.
Freshman Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) singled to right center with two outs in the seventh, but the Colonials couldn't add on to their lead.
Quinnipiac had its best chance in the final inning as consecutive hits to start the frame put runners on second and third with no outs. Sleith buckled down, though, as she got the next two hitters out on balls to the infield and finished the game with a swinging strikeout to post her 20th win.
Sophomore Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) started the second game in the circle for RMU and also delivered a strong effort, but the Colonials would fall short.
After each side went down in order in the first, sophomore Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) walked with one out in the second, and an error then gave RMU runners on second and third with one out. Quinnipiac escaped the jam with a groundout and a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.
Badolato again put down the Bobcats 1-2-3 in the second. Junior Britta Grafton (Jamestown, Pa. / Jamestown) worked a leadoff walk in the third, but Robert Morris could not take advantage.
Quinnipiac got an infield single with one out in the third, but Santillo nailed a runner trying to steal to keep the game scoreless.
Timko gave RMU the lead with one out in the fourth when her blast to center drilled off the scoreboard. Robert Morris looked to keep the rally going as Siar walked and Apke knocked an opposite-field single, but a strikeout and a popup ended the chance.
Quinnipiac came right back to take the lead in the bottom half. A pair of singles had put runners on second and third with two outs, and then a wild pitch and an error gave the Bobcats the lead.
After each side went down quietly in the fifth, senior Sarah Capp (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour) was hit by a pitch to lead off the sixth. A sacrifice with one out moved the runner to second, but a strikeout kept the hosts in front.
A double, a groundout and a wild pitch with two outs gave Quinnipiac an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Santillo walked to start the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate, but each of the next three Colonials was retired as the teams split the double-dip.
Senior Allie Patton (Poland, Ohio / Poland) moved into a tie for eighth in career games played Saturday with 177.
RMU's streak of 28 consecutive games with an extra-base hit was snapped in the opener of Saturday's games.
Robert Morris will now have over a week off before playing its final two conference games of the season Sunday, April 29. The Colonials will host Central Connecticut State with the first pitch at Noon in what are the final regular-season home games of the 2012 campaign.
