Box Score

Rock Hill, S.C. – The Robert Morris University softball team took an early lead against Cleveland State in its final game of the weekend Sunday, but after a number of scoreless frames, the Vikings would claim a 2-1 decision in eight innings as each team concluded play in the Combat Invitational at a partly cloudy Winthrop Softball Complex.
 
RMU had defeated Cleveland State twice already this season, including one week ago at Charlotte, but the third time was not the charm for the Colonials against the Vikings.
 
Senior Geena Badolato (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) pitched well in defeat for the Colonials as she allowed five hits and just one earned run in a complete-game effort.
 
With Badolato's effort Sunday, RMU has now allowed five hits or fewer in 10 consecutive games, the longest such stretch in over 12 years by Robert Morris. The Colonials have also now allowed three runs or fewer in 11 consecutive games and 16 of 18 overall this season.
 
Freshman Jordan Gurganus (Chesapeake, Va. / Hickory) notched a pair of hits in the game for RMU, including her second triple of the season. She tallied a multi-hit game for the second straight day, her fifth of the season, while also stealing a base and scoring a run.
 
With one out in the top of the first inning, Gurganus ripped a 1-0 pitch into the right center gap and raced around the bases for a triple. One out later, junior Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) would deliver a two-strike, two-out single to center to score the game's first run.
 
Cleveland State would answer right back in the home half as it used a two-out double followed by a single, both down the right field line, to tie the game.  The Vikings would load the bases after tying the game on a walk and a single, but Badolato handled a groundout to escape the jam.
 
After RMU went down in order in the second, the Vikings got a pair of baserunners with two down, but Badolato got a groundout to second to strand two more.
 
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
 
A leadoff single and a groundout gave Cleveland State a runner in scoring position with one out in the fourth, but a fly ball to shallow right and a grounder ended the chance.
 
A two-out walk by the Vikings was all either team could muster in the fifth. After a stolen base, Badolato got a fly ball to center to end the frame.
 
Sophomore Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa.  / West Allegheny) singled with one out in the sixth, and Gurganus followed with her second hit of the day to put two on base. After a strikeout, a wild pitch moved both runners up, but a fly out was then hauled in by the center fielder.
 
After Badolato retired the side in order in the sixth, RMU tried to rally with two outs in the seventh. Senior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) singled into center before her classmate, Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville), followed with her own base hit. However, the Colonials were unable to push any runs across.
 
Badolato worked around a one-out single in the seventh by getting a groundball and a fly out to left, sending the game to extras, where the international tie-breaker was employed.
 
After a groundout, a fielder's choice and a steal, RMU would have runners on second and third with one away, but consecutive groundouts would not allow a Colonial to cross the plate.
 
A ground ball to the right side of the infield moved the Vikings' runner to third with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. A fly ball was then hit deep enough to right field to score the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly.
 
RMU will enjoy its only scheduled off weekend of the regular season next weekend. The Colonials are scheduled to be back in action March 13-16 as they play six games in four days, including four against BIG EAST opponents, at the University of Delaware Invitational.