Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Los Angeles, Calif. – The Robert Morris University softball team was one strike away from pulling a stunning upset of nationally ranked UCLA, but the Colonials would end up falling, 3-2, in extra innings to the Bruins on the opening day of play at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament on a clear day at Easton Stadium.
 
Robert Morris dropped its opening game of the day to 2013 NCAA participant Western Kentucky by a 7-2 margin.
 
With the Colonials down to their final strike in the nightcap against host UCLA, junior Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) drilled a two-run home run to turn a deficit into a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh. The long ball was the first of her season and the 13th of her career.
 
Junior Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) nearly beat the 11-time national champion Bruins with a gutty effort in the circle. She allowed only four hits and one earned run while going the distance. She has now allowed one earned run and just 10 hits in 21.1 innings of work this season.
 
While RMU nearly pulled out a victory in the second game, it was unable to do so in the opener.
 
Western Kentucky struck right away in the top of the first. After loading the bases with a hit batter, an infield single and a walk, a two-run double put the Hilltoppers on top. RMU did well to limit the damage by getting consecutive groundouts and a strikeout to leave two runners stranded in scoring position.
 
After Robert Morris went down in order in the home half, WKU tried to add to its lead in the second. The Hilltoppers put two on with two out for their three-hitter, but a groundout closed the top half.
 
Robert Morris scored its first run in the bottom of the second. Junior Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) earned a walk and freshman Rayanna Furst (New Castle, Pa. / Neshannock) subsequently pinch-ran for her. Sophomore Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) sacrificed the rookie into scoring position with two down. Furst would then come around to score on two separate wild pitches as she slid across home plate on a relatively close play. Senior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) would walk to keep the inning going, but a popup closed it.
 
After a leadoff single by the Hilltoppers in the third, senior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) made a nice leap to catch a high throw from a teammate and was able to finish the athletic play to force the lead runner. A double to the left center gap would follow, but the Colonials dug in. A groundout and a popup on the infield then followed, leaving both runners aboard.
 
Evans lined a single into center to start the bottom of the third and was promptly moved to second on a sacrifice by sophomore Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa.  / West Allegheny). Senior Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one down. Sophomore Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) then hit a fly ball into the left center gap that would serve as a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
 
WKU would retake the lead right away in the fourth as they loaded the bases with no outs on an infield single, a single to left and a bunt single. The Hilltoppers then used a pair of walks and an error to take a 5-2 advantage.
 
After the Colonials went in order, WKU added two more runs on a walk, an infield single, an illegal pitch and a single to center.
 
Evans would walk with one down in the fifth and would eventually move to third base, but she was unable to cross the plate.
 
Neither team would score in the final two frames, keeping the final margin at five.
 
Despite facing a perennial power in the nightcap, RMU put a real scare into the hosts.
 
Stocks would knock a hard single into center with two down in the top of the first, but RMU couldn't strike first.
 
After the Bruins got their leadoff batter on base, Santillo gunned down to Show to catch the runner stealing by a good margin. A strikeout and a soft foul liner that was snagged by a diving Lauren Hackett (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) closed the inning.
 
A walk by UCLA was all either team could muster in the second inning.
 
Sleith singled to left field with one out in the third but would not advance.
 
The Bruins would score their first run in the third as they used a two-out walk and a triple to the right center gap to plate a runner. UCLA would eventually load the bases with two down, but a groundout left the sacks loaded.
 
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
 
UCLA used a bunt single to start the fifth inning. After a sacrifice and a hit batter, a pair of groundouts ended the frame.
 
After each side went in order in the sixth, RMU put its rally caps on in the seventh. Gabelt ripped a double into the right center gap with one out to put the tying run on base. One out later, while facing a 2-2 count, Apke demonstrated a flair for the dramatic as she launched a home run to left field that nearly hit the scoreboard on its way over the fence.
 
After a hit batter and a wild pitch opened the inning for UCLA, RMU got consecutive popups to pull within one out of a victory. However, an error extended the inning, and the Bruins capitalized by knocking a double to tie the game. A fly out then sent the game into extra innings, where the international tiebreaker was employed.
 
Although Robert Morris sacrificed its runner to third with one out, it was unable to bring home a go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. UCLA would win the game with a one-out single to right in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Robert Morris will be back in action Saturday afternoon as it has a rematch with UCLA before facing UC Davis for the first time in school history.