Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Newark, Del. – Coming off of an 11-day layoff, the Robert Morris University softball team was unable to generate any offense Friday and dropped a pair of contests to BIG EAST foes on the opening day of play at the University of Delaware Invitational at a chilly UD Softball Stadium.
 
RMU fell to St. John's, 3-0, and Villanova, 4-0.
 
Junior Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) started the opener for the Colonials and allowed five hits and three runs in a complete-game effort. She did not walk or hit a batter while striking out 12. It marked her second straight appearance in which she struck out 12 batters. It was her third double-digit strikeout effort of the season and the 12th of her career.
 
Senior Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) yielded just two earned runs in seven innings against the Wildcats but suffered the defeat in RMU's second game Friday. She scattered seven hits, all singles, in her outing.
 
Robert Morris had a streak of allowing five hits or fewer in 11 consecutive games snapped in its contest against the Wildcats.
 
Junior Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) went 2-for-6 Friday with a double. In the process, she tallied her 100th collegiate base hit.
 
In RMU's opener against St. John's, each team went in order in each of its first three innings at the plate.
 
Apke led off the top of the fourth by crushing a 1-2 pitch to the fence in center for a standup double. Freshman Jordan Gurganus (Chesapeake, Va. / Hickory) followed with a successful sacrifice to move her teammate to third with one out, but RMU could not pull ahead.
 
A single, a sacrifice bunt, another single and a sacrifice fly started the bottom half and allowed the Red Storm to take the lead. Sleith would strand two more runners by striking out consecutive batters swinging to end the frame.
 
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
 
St. John's would add two key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth by knocking a single, a double and another single in succession.
 
Gurganus singled to center to start the seventh inning. One out later, junior Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) lined a single to left before sophomore Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) was hit by a pitch to put the tying runs on base. RMU's comeback attempt would end, though, with consecutive fly balls to center and right field.
 
In its second game of the day, RMU fell behind early and could never recover.
 
With two outs and the bases empty in the top of the first, an error extended the inning. Villanova then delivered three consecutive singles, two of which never left the infield, to plate a pair of runs.
 
RMU tried to respond in the home half as Gurganus started the frame with a double to right center. After an error, senior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) stole second to put two in scoring position, but the Colonials could not bring them home.
 
After each team went in order in the second, Villanova used two singles and a hit batter to load the bases in the third, but Badolato escaped the threat by getting a groundball to the left side of the infield.
 
Evans was hit by a pitch with two down in the bottom half but would not advance.

Badolato left one runner in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth inning while RMU was unable to muster a chance in those frames.
 
With one out in the sixth, a hit batter, a walk and a groundout gave the Wildcats runners on second and third with two outs. Villanova would deliver a single to right to plate a run before a double steal brought home its second run of the inning.
 
RMU had a chance to strike back in the home half. With one out, Gurganus, Santillo and Apke notched consecutive singles to load the bases. However, a double play would end the frame before the Colonials could get on the board.
 
Badolato got a groundout to leave a runner at third in the seventh, but Robert Morris could not mount a rally in its final at bat and dropped the contest.
 
Robert Morris will look to get back on track Saturday as it takes on the host Blue Hens and also has a rematch with St. John's.