Smithfield, R.I. – The Robert Morris University softball team rallied from an early 2-0 deficit and held on for a 4-3 victory over Bryant in the nightcap of a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader Sunday afternoon at a sunny Conaty Park.
The Bulldogs had won by an identical 4-3 score, albeit in extra innings, in the opener.
Junior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) had what proved to be the winning hit by driving a two-run single into left with two strikes and two outs in the fifth inning. In doing so, Siar tallied the 18th multi-RBI game of her career and reached the 50 RBI mark for her career.
Senior Maritza Jimenez (Vineland, N.J. / Vineland) and freshman Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) each went deep on the day, and both Jimenez and Gerhart now have three home runs in the past 10 games.
Junior Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) earned the win in the nightcap with a complete-game effort. She allowed three runs in seven innings of work without allowing a walk or hitting a batter.
RMU scored early in the opening game and appeared to be in control into the late innings, but the hosts would rally for the win.
An error by Bryant and a single by freshman Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) put two Colonials on base with one out in the top of the first, but a lineout and a popup ended the inning.
Sophomore Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) set down the Bulldogs in the first on a pair of groundouts and a flyout.
RMU would take the lead in the second as sophomore Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) laced the first pitch of the inning to fence in right. Siar followed by knocking a pitch into shallow right to move Apke to third. After a groundout, junior shortstop Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Gerhart then remained calm and worked a walk to force in a run. Freshman Lauren Hackett (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) followed with a RBI groundout to double the RMU advantage.
Sleith retired Bryant in the home half on a flyout, a groundout and a strikeout.
Apke singled with two outs in the third and stole second but would be left there as a deep flyout to right ended the inning.
Each of the next 12 batters would go down in order before Bryant broke through.
A leadoff homer by the Bulldogs down the left field line in the bottom of the fifth cut the lead in half. The next batter would dump a double down the right field line, but each of the next two batters would strike out before Hackett made a nice stab of a line drive to end the inning.
After RMU went down in order in the sixth, a leadoff hit by pitch and a wild pitch gave the Bulldogs a runner in scoring position, but a groundout ended the inning.
Gerhart nailed an opposite-field homer to left center with two outs in the seventh to add an insurance run for the Colonials, but it proved not to be enough.
Bryant led off the seventh with a single, and one out later, it struck again with a long ball to tie the game, 3-3, which would be the score after seven full frames.
Sophomore Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) singled into left field with two outs in the eighth, but a pinch-runner was caught stealing to end the inning.
Bryant scored the winning run after a two-out double was followed by a fielding error by RMU, which allowed an unearned winning run to score.
Apke posted her ninth multi-hit game of the season and the 18th of her career in the opening game. Gerhart added her third multi-RBI outing of the campaign.
The nightcap proved to be a mirror image of the opener in multiple ways as Bryant jumped ahead early but would not hang on.
A one-out walk by Hackett in the top of the first would amount to little for the guests.
Bryant would take the lead in the bottom half with a single, a double and a wild pitch. Badolato did leave a runner on third, though, by getting a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
Santillo singled on an 0-2 pitch to open the second, but a double play ruined the Colonials' momentum.
A leadoff double and a pair of groundouts helped the Bulldogs double their lead in the second, but Badolato once again would strand a runner in scoring position to minimize the damage.
Freshman Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) led off the third by knocking a single into left. An error would then put two runners on base, but the Colonials couldn't convert quite yet.
Badolato retired the side in order in the third on a trio of groundouts, and RMU would tie the game in the fourth.
Jimenez led off the frame by crushing the seventh pitch of her at bat over the fence in left. With one out, consecutive miscues by the Bulldogs gave the Colonials runners on the corners. Gabelt capitalized as she singled into center to score Apke with the tying run.
A leadoff single and a sacrifice in the fourth for Bryant failed to amount to anything as Badolato got a groundout and a flyout to end the inning.
The Colonials would score two more in the fifth to pull ahead. After an error started the frame, Stocks nailed a double to the base of the fence in left. Jimenez would then work a seven-pitch walk to load the bases. Siar came to the plate with the bases still loaded and two outs and proceeded to knock a 2-2 pitch hard through the left side to score both Stocks and pinch-runner Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside).
A pair of infield singles and a sacrifice gave Bryant runners on the corners with one down in the home half. With the runner from first base taking off, RMU traded a run for an out as Santillo caught the runner trying to steal to help prevent a big inning.
Each of the last two innings for both sides would be of the 1-2-3 variety.
Badolato needed just six pitches to close out the seventh inning. She got a pair of groundouts, one of which Show made a nice play on by changing direction after the ball had deflected off Badolato, and a popup to finish off the win.
Gabelt notched her sixth multi-hit game of the season in the nightcap.
Sleith moved into Robert Morris' top five in career strikeouts (435) with her effort Sunday.
Robert Morris will next be in action Thursday, May 2, when it plays its final scheduled non-conference contests with a doubleheader at Cleveland State. The Colonials will then host a pair of NEC twinbills next weekend against Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart with major postseason implications at stake.
