Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Brooklyn, N.Y. – Junior Nicole Sleith (Smithton, Pa. / Yough) twirled a two-hit shutout to lead the Robert Morris University softball team to a 4-0 victory over LIU Brooklyn in the opener of a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon at LIU Field.
 
RMU was unable to carry over its momentum from the opener as it dropped the nightcap to the Blackbirds by an identical 4-0 score, falling short of nabbing its 20th win of the season.
 
Sleith notched her career-high seventh shutout by dominating in the opener. She struck out five against a lone walk to tally her 54th career win, moving into sole possession of fourth place in RMU history. Sleith posted her 18th career shutout Saturday and also surpassed 600 career strikeouts, moving into third place in RMU history in that category (604).
 
Sophomore Ashley Gerhart (Imperial, Pa.  / West Allegheny) was an offensive force for RMU Saturday as she went a combined 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, two RBI and a run scored. She notched her first three-hit performance of the season, and fifth of her career, in the opener. The first game of the day also saw Gerhart notch her fourth multi-RBI outing of the season and the eighth of her career.
 
Senior Cassie Show (Connellsville, Pa. / Connellsville) was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in the opening game. It was her second multi-hit game of the season, and 17th of her career, and was also the second time in her career that she notched a pair of two-baggers in a single game.
 
Freshman Jordan Gurganus (Chesapeake, Va. / Hickory) reached base on an error with one down in the top of the first. She stole second with two away but would be stranded there.
 
Each of the next two half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
 
LIU tallied a bunt single to start the bottom of the second, but Sleith retired each of the next three batters to close the frame.
 
Show ripped a double to left center with one out in the third. Gerhart followed two pitches later by nailing an opposite-field, ground-rule double to left to plate the first run. Gurganus followed with a sharp lineout to left before junior Tess Apke (Mt. Lebanon, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) was intentionally walked, but a fly out ended the threat.
 
Sleith retired the side in order in the home half on a fly out and two strikeouts.
 
RMU would add to its lead in the fourth. Sophomore Haileigh Stocks (Jamison, Pa. / Central Bucks South) knocked an opposite-field single to start the frame before senior Chelsea Evans (Beaver Falls, Pa. / Riverside) sacrificed her to second. With two outs, sophomore Kristen Gabelt (Ligonier, Pa. / Ligonier Valley) lined a sharp single to center to score her classmate. Show followed by driving a ball into the right center gap that skipped over the fence for a ground-rule double. Gerhart then singled to score the lead runner before a caught stealing ended the frame.
 
Sleith worked around a one-out double in the bottom half by retiring the next two batters.
 
Junior Samantha Santillo (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) singled on the ninth pitch of her at bat with two outs in the fifth but would not advance.
 
After Sleith retired the side in order in the bottom half, senior Chelsea Siar (Glenshaw, Pa. / Shaler Area) sent a hard ground ball through the middle into center for a single, but RMU would not get another runner on in the frame.
 
LIU  was again set down in order by Sleith in the sixth.
 
Robert Morris added one final insurance run in the seventh. Gerhart drilled an 0-2 pitch to center and raced into third for a triple. Gurganus followed with a RBI single into center. Apke then singled to left to put two aboard, but the Colonials would not score any more.
 
The Blackbirds got a leadoff walk in the seventh, but Sleith got two popups and a fly out to quickly close it out.
 
Gerhart's first-career triple helped her post her eighth multi-hit game of the season and the 21st of her career. Santillo's base hit was the 100th of her collegiate career.
 
The second game was nearly a mirror image of the first.
 
A two-out hit batter in the bottom of the first was the only baserunner for either side in the opening frame.
 
Santillo walked to start the second, but three consecutive foul outs left a runner aboard. LIU Brooklyn then went down in order in the home half.
 
Gerhart nailed a double to left center with two away in the third, but she was left at second.
 
LIU got a leadoff single in the home half, but Robert Morris turned a double play to still face the minimum in the frame.
 
After RMU went in order in the fourth, LIU took the lead in the bottom half. An infield single, a walk and a fly out that advanced both runners put a pair in scoring position, which allowed a single and an error to score a pair.
 
Evans worked a nine-pitch walk with one out in the fifth but would not move any further.
 
The Blackbirds used three hits in the bottom half to score twice and double their lead.
 
RMU was unable to crack the scoreboard in the final two frames and was forced to settle for a split of the twinbill.
 
Robert Morris will continue its eight-game road trip by next playing its second straight league doubleheader. The Colonials will be right back in action Sunday as they travel further northeast to take on Sacred Heart.