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Rock Hill, S.C. – Junior Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) and sophomore Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) each delivered a brilliant effort from the circle Saturday to lead the Robert Morris University softball team to a pair of victories on the second day of play at the Combat Invitational at a partly sunny Winthrop Softball Complex.
 
RMU defeated Northern Colorado, 3-1, to open its day before taking down Gardner-Webb, 5-0, in its second outing.
 
Sleith earned the start in the opener and claimed the complete-game win by allowing just two hits and a lone run. She did not walk or hit a batter while striking out a season-high 12. It was her second double-digit strikeout effort of the season and the 11th of her career.
 
Stocks twirled a two-hit shutout against the Runnin' Bulldogs to help RMU sweep the day. She did not walk or hit a batter and struck out a career-high six. She was very efficient as she needed just 81 pitches to notch her second career shutout.
 
With Sleith and Stocks' efforts Saturday, RMU has now allowed five hits or fewer in nine consecutive games, the longest such stretch in over 12 years by Robert Morris.
 
Freshman Jordan Gurganus (Chesapeake, Va. / Hickory) and junior Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) helped lead the Colonial offensive attack as each went 4-for-7 on the day with a run scored. Gurganus and Santillo both tallied a three-hit outing Saturday while the former tallied one RBI and the latter notched two.
 
Senior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) homered in the opening game, tallying her second of the season and the 20th of her career. She would add her first multi-RBI outing of the season, and 16th of her career, against the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
Sophomore Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa.  / West Allegheny) blasted a long ball for RMU in the nightcap, her second of the season and the fifth of her career. She also walked twice against Garnder-Webb, stole a base and scored a career-high three runs.
 
After Sleith struck out the side in order in the top of the first to open the game against Northern Colorado, Gurganus singled with one out in the bottom half but would not advance all the way around the bases.
 
Sleith struck out two more in a 1-2-3 second inning. RMU would pull ahead with two outs in the bottom half when Siar blasted a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left center. Sleith came ever so close to making it back-to-back homers for the Colonials when she nailed a liner high off the fence in left center, but she had to settle for a double before a groundout ended the inning.
 
Sleith struck out two while retiring the Bears in order in the third before Robert Morris tacked on insurance runs in the bottom half.
 
Gurganus knocked a single with one out to get things started for RMU. Junior Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) then followed by ripping a double off the fence in left center to put a pair of runners on base. Stocks would come through with a RBI groundout to bring home Gurganus before Santillo delivered a two-out single to center to bring home her classmate.
 
After each team went in order in the fourth, Northern Colorado got its first baserunner of the game with a single to left to open the fifth. Siar would immediately erase the runner though by starting a double play, helping limit the Bears' chances in the frame. Gurganus singled to center with one out in the bottom half but would not move any further.
 
An error and a steal gave Northern Colorado a runner in scoring position with two outs in the sixth, but Sleith got a foul out on the infield to end the frame.
 
Sophomore Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) knocked a single in the home half of the sixth but would not advance.
 
Northern Colorado ended the shutout bid with a leadoff homer in the seventh, but Sleith quelled any hope of a Bears' rally by striking out the next two batters before getting a popup to finish off the game.
 
Gurganus' three-hit effort against the Bears was her first of the season although it was her fourth multi-hit performance. Apke's two-bagger was the 20th of her career.
 
Robert Morris jumped on top right away against Gardner-Webb and continued to add on while Stocks kept the opponent's bats quiet.
 
Gerhart blasted a 2-0 pitch high and deep to right field with one out in the top of the first, and her solo homer put RMU on top early. Santillo would single down the right field line one out later but would not advance.
 
Stocks sent down the Runnin' Bulldogs with a groundout and two strikeouts in the bottom of the first. Senior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) singled with one out in the second and, one out later, a double to left center by senior Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) put two in scoring position, but a groundout ended the threat.
 
After Stocks retired Gardner-Webb in order again, Gerhart walked to open the third inning and then stole second. One out later, Santillo punched a single right down the third base line to bring home the runner and double RMU's advantage.
 
Stocks would retire the Runnin' Bulldogs in order for the third straight time, and RMU again tacked on another run in the next half-inning.
 
Evans singled to start it and was promptly moved to second on a sacrifice by Gabelt. With two outs, Gurganus shot a hard grounder by the second baseman and into right field, delivering RMU's third run of the game.
 
Gardner-Webb sent a single into left center to start the fourth inning, but Gerhart quickly got to the ball and cut it off. She then threw a bullet to second base to tally an outfield assist as the ball easily beat the runner to the bag. A bunt single followed for Gardner-Webb, but Stocks got a strikeout and a groundout to end the frame.
 
Gerhart walked to start the fifth and advanced to second one out later on a single to left by Santillo. After a groundout advanced both runners, Siar dumped a single into center on an 0-2 pitch to bring them both home.
 
Each of the game's final five half-innings were of the 1-2-3 variety as Stocks closed it out in the seventh by getting a lineout and a pair of groundouts to the middle infielders.
 
Santillo contributed her second three-hit game of the season, and fifth of her career, against Gardner-Webb. It was also her 21st career multi-hit outing.
 
Evans notched a multi-hit game for the second straight day with her two base hits against the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
Robert Morris will resume action Sunday as it concludes play in the Combat Invitational by taking on Cleveland State. The game time was recently adjusted, and it will now start at 10:00 a.m.