Hackensack, N.J. – Sophomore Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) twirled a one-hit shutout to lead the Robert Morris University softball team to a 1-0 win, its eighth consecutive victory, in its opener at Fairleigh Dickinson in Northeast Conference (NEC) action Sunday afternoon at a breezy FDU Softball Field.
RMU's winning streak would come to an end in the nightcap, though, as the Knights were able to split the doubleheader with a 3-2 victory in Game Two.
Sleith and junior Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) once again combined to limit their opponent's run totals as they yielded just a single earned run in a conference doubleheader for the third time this season. RMU has also now allowed three runs or fewer in 17 consecutive games, which is tied for its longest such stretch since a streak during the 1992 season.
Sleith threw a shutout for the third time in her last three starts and has conceded just five hits in those games. She has now gone seven straight appearances, and 30.2 consecutive innings, without allowing an earned run. The shutout was the ninth of her career and also marked her 35th career win.
Freshman Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) was an on-base machine for the Colonials Sunday as she went 4-for-6 with a walk, a double and scored two runs. She picked up the sixth and seventh multi-hit games of her rookie season Sunday and has now reached safely via a hit or walk in 18 of the past 19 games in which she has played.
Sophomore Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) was 2-for-6 Sunday with a double and two RBI and had perhaps the biggest hit of the day by driving in the game's only run late in the opener.
Apke and Gerhart were two of the five distinct Colonials that had extra-base hits in Game Two.
The opener was a classic pitcher's duel with each side trying to scratch for one run that would be the difference.
After each of the first 10 batters of the game was retired, FDU knocked a one-out single to left in the bottom of the second. After an error and a groundout, the Knights had runners on second and third with two down, and Sleith came up with a big strikeout to leave the pair stranded.
Freshman Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) drilled a hard grounder into right for a one-out single in the third, but, after a fielder's choice, a runner would be caught stealing to end the inning.
Sleith retired the side in the bottom half on a strikeout and two foulouts.
Gerhart singled up the middle into center to start the fourth frame and would move to second with one out on a sacrifice by junior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside). However, RMU couldn't bring Gerhart all the way around, at least this time.
A walk and a passed ball gave FDU a runner in scoring position in the home half, but Sleith got a popup to keep the Knights off the board.
Junior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) worked an eight-pitch walk with one down in the fifth, and sophomore Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) followed by driving a single past the dive of the second baseman into center. Gabelt then drilled a line drive, but, unfortunately for the Colonials, it was right at the second baseman, who caught it and turned it into an inning-ending double play.
Sleith sent the Knights down in order in the home half, using two strikeouts and a popup, before RMU broke through.
With one out, Gerhart lined a full count pitch over the shortstop's head into left for a single. Evans put down a sacrifice to move the rookie to second before Apke sent a single into left toward the line. Gerhart scored without a play and Apke took second on a misplay by the Knights. Freshman Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) followed by driving a single to center, but Apke was thrown out at home on the play.
Each of the next six batters went in order before FDU took a leadoff walk to start the seventh. After a flyout to left, on which Gabelt made the catch reaching behind and above her head, the Knights used a sacrifice to put the tying run in scoring position. A stolen base made the situation even tenser, but Sleith got a swinging strikeout to seal the win.
Not only did the opening victory give RMU its eighth straight win, but the Colonials never trailed in any of those contests. Robert Morris had a good chance to extend its winning streak in the nightcap, but it ended up on the wrong side of this one-run game.
Gerhart led off the game by pounding a double into the right center gap, and Evans moved her to third with one out with a sacrifice. The freshman then tried to score on a grounder to the infield and was thrown out at the plate.
FDU used a two-out single and a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position in the first, but Badolato got a looking strikeout to end the inning.
With a runner on first from an error, Gabelt hit a lined shot off the fence in left center for a double, moving the lead runner to third, but a strikeout ended the inning.
Santillo caught a runner stealing to end the second inning.
Gerhart worked a leadoff walk on a full count to start the third and moved to second on a sacrifice by Evans. Apke then crushed a pitch on a line to center and slid in safely at second with a RBI double that scored the rookie. The Colonials could not bring in any more in the third.
After a two-out single by FDU in the third, Santillo caught a runner stealing for the second straight frame to close the inning.
Santillo drove a single into the right center gap with one out in the fourth and moved to second on a groundout, but a strikeout ended the chance.
FDU had a runner on second with one out in the bottom of the fourth after a single and a sacrifice. The Knights then hit a chopper toward the right side. Freshman Lauren Hackett (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) grabbed the grounder and fired across the diamond to her high school teammate, Siar, who applied the tag to get the lead runner out. That play loomed large as the next batter singled to right to put two runners aboard, but a groundout to short ended the threat.
RMU went in order in the fifth, and FDU finally broke through in the bottom half. A single and a hit batter had two runners on for FDU with two away. The Knights knocked a single to left to tie the game, and then when the throw to the plate was off target, the Knights were able to score a second run on the play. Sleith, on in relief, would get a looking strikeout to end the inning.
RMU came right back in the sixth as Stocks nailed the first pitch into the right center gap for a double. One out later, Hackett pounded a 1-2 pitch into the left center gap for a RBI double that tied the game. Back-to-back flyouts ended the inning, leaving a runner on base.
Sleith got the Knights in order in the sixth, and Gerhart had a one-out single in the seventh, but RMU couldn't take advantage.
FDU got its lead runner on with an error to begin the seventh. After a sacrifice moved the runner along, a hard grounder to the right of the second base bag rolled into center for a single. FDU waved its runner home, and Gerhart came up firing, but, unfortunately for RMU, Santillo received her throw an instant too late and the runner was safe at the plate.
Robert Morris has allowed just 12 earned runs in its past 17 NEC games.
The Colonials will take a step out of conference play and return home this coming week. Robert Morris will host Kent State Tuesday, April 9, at 3:00 p.m.
