Moon Township, Pa. – Sophomore Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) twirled her first collegiate no-hitter in leading the Robert Morris University softball team to a sweep of Mount St. Mary's, 5-0 and 2-1, in the Colonials' Northeast Conference and home openers Friday afternoon at a cool North Athletic Complex.

Sleith becomes just the fifth RMU pitcher to throw a no-hitter in school history. Her effort was the first (non-combined) no-hitter at RMU since 2003 although Sleith herself was part of a combined no-hitter last season with teammate Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon).

Sleith faced just one over the minimum in the opening game while registering her second shutout of the season and the seventh of her career. She registered 12 strikeouts in the no-no, marking her second double-digit strikeout effort of the season and the sixth of her career.

With Sleith and Badolato's work Friday, RMU has allowed three runs or fewer in 11 consecutive games, which is the longest such stretch at RMU since a streak that spanned the 1999-00 seasons.

Freshman Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) was one of the significant offensive contributors for RMU Friday as she reached base safely five times and also had the defensive gem of the no-hitter. Gerhart was 3-for-5 was a pair of walks and scored a run, including posting three hits in the opener. It marked her second three-hit game of the season and her fifth multi-hit game of 2013. With her performance, Gerhart has now reached base safely in 15 consecutive games for the Colonials.

Junior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks, three RBI, a run scored and a sacrifice to aid the RMU cause. Siar had two hits and three RBI in the opener to record her first three-RBI game of the season and her 10th career multi-RBI game. She also picked up her 21st career multi-hit game.

Senior Maritza Jimenez (Vineland, N.J. / Vineland), who had two hits and two RBI, and freshman Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South), who had the game-winning hit in RMU's final at bat in the nightcap, also made notable contributions for Robert Morris.

After Sleith struck out the side in order to open the game, RMU went to work right away in the bottom half.

Gerhart knocked an opposite-field single into left on the first pitch and freshman Lauren Hackett (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) followed with her own single into center. One out later, Jimenez lined an opposite-field single to right to score Gerhart with Hackett alertly taking third on the throw home. Sophomore Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) then grounded out to shortstop, but Hackett came through the back door on the play to make it 2-0. Siar would then walk to put two runners aboard, but a groundout ended the frame.

Mount St. Mary's had its only baserunner of the game in the top of the second via a full count walk with one out. After a sacrifice bunt, Sleith got a swinging strikeout to end the Mountaineers' only chance.

After each of the next two half-innings went in order, RMU doubled its lead in the third.

Hackett was hit by a pitch to open the frame and an error put two runners on for RMU. Jimenez would then sacrifice the runners along to second and third with one out. After a foulout, Siar came through in the clutch by singling to right to bring home both runners. Freshman Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) was then hit by a pitch to put two on base, but a lineout ended the threat.

Gerhart singled into center in the fourth to be the frame's only baserunner.

Santillo, who caught the no-hitter, doubled to right center with two down in the fifth. Siar followed by lining a single down the right field line to score pinch-runner Jessica Tanigawa (Marysville, Wash. / Marysville-Pitchuck).

Gerhart again singled, this time to right, to be the only baserunner in the sixth.

Hackett handled a sharp grounder for the first out of the seventh before Gabelt tracked down a flyball to the warning track in left for the second out. Sleith ended the game fittingly with a swinging strikeout to finish off Mount St. Mary's.

The top defensive play to save the no-hitter arguably came in the second inning when the leadoff batter blasted a ball deep into the left center gap. Gerhart raced after the ball and made a diving catch near the warning track to keep the Mountaineers from claiming a hit.

Badolato retired Mount St. Mary's on a pair of strikeouts and a groundout in the first, but RMU could do nothing in the home half this time.

Badolato worked around a walk and a hit batter in the second by getting a full count strikeout to close the frame.

Siar walked to lead off the bottom half and an error put two runners aboard. One out later, redshirt freshman outfielder Samantha Bowlsbey (Farmingdale, N.J. / Red Bank Catholic) walked to load the bases. After a sharp lineout to center, Jimenez delivered with a pinch-hit single to left to give RMU the lead although a second runner would be thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Badolato retired the side in order in the third on a popup, a strikeout and a groundout. Gerhart walked to open the bottom half, but three consecutive groundouts would end the frame.

Mount St. Mary's tied it in the fourth on a pair of walks and a single to right. With runners still on first and second and one out, Badolato settled down and proceeded to get a strikeout and a groundout to keep the game even. RMU would go in order in the home half.

After a bunt single to start the fifth, Sleith, coming on in relief, got a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a caught stealing on which Santillo gunned down a runner. Gerhart walked with two down in the home half, but RMU could not use it to its advantage.

Sleith struck out the side in order in the sixth, allowing RMU to take the lead in the home half.

Sophomore Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) started by grounding a single down the left field line. Siar would sacrifice her to second before a wild pitch moved her to third. With two outs, Stocks came through in a big way by knocking a single back up the middle to bring home what proved to be the winning run.

Mount St. Mary's refused to go without a fight. With two down and a runner on first, an infield hit and a walk loaded the bases. The next batter worked the count full, and, with the tying run on third, Sleith got a swinging strikeout on the eighth pitch of the at bat to bring the tension to an end and give RMU the sweep.

RMU improved to 37-6 all-time against Mount St. Mary's and has now won each of the past 12 games against the Mountaineers.

Siar is now 9-for-14 with 10 RBI in six games played in her career against Mount St. Mary's. Jimenez is now 6-for-8 with six RBI in four games against the Mountaineers.

The Colonials have allowed 10 earned runs in their last 13 NEC games.

After winning its league openers Friday, the Colonials will remain at home but take a quick step out of conference play. Robert Morris will host a doubleheader against local rival Pittsburgh Wednesday, April 3, at 3:00 p.m.