Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The
Robert Morris University softball team rallied from a three-run deficit and held on for an 8-5 win over St. Bonaventure Saturday evening in the final game of the day at the Green & White Tournament at a mostly cloudy Navin Field at the Cal Ripken Experience complex.
RMU dropped its first game of the day to Kent State, 5-1.
Junior
Kristen Gabelt was one of two Colonials to go 4-for-7 on the day as she drilled two doubles and notched a RBI and a run scored. She contributed three hits, including a pair of two-baggers, against the Bonnies, tallying the first three-hit outing of her career and her first performance with multiple extra-base hits in the same game.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks reached base three times on the day, twice via hit and once thanks to a walk, and also earned the win in relief against the Bonnies. She tossed four innings and yielded a lone unearned run while striking out six against a single walk.
Sophomore
Jordan Gurganus joined Gabelt in going 4-for-7 on the day with a RBI and a run scored. She notched a pair of multi-hit games, giving her five on the season and 18 in her career.
Kent State scored early against the Colonials in RMU's first game of the day and never lost the lead.
Gurganus led off the game with a single to the left side. Two outs later, freshman
Olivia Lorusso worked a nine-pitch walk to put two on base, but a full count strikeout ended the frame.
A leadoff single and a one-out single, sandwiched around a stolen base, gave the Golden Flashes an early run in the bottom of the first.
Stocks lined a full count single to center with two outs in the second, but she would not advance.
After each of the next two half-innings went in order, Kent State added to its lead. The Golden Flashes put together back-to-back hits with one out. After a groundout, a two-base throwing error brought home both runners.
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
Kent State tallied a one-out single in the fifth but would not add to its lead.
Gurganus singled to start the sixth and moved to second on a wild pitch. Junior
Ashley Gerhart then ripped a 2-2 pitch deep into the right center gap, but the Kent State center fielder made a fine running catch to take away extra bases. With the sophomore then on third, senior
Tess Apke delivered the run with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Golden Flashes responded in the bottom half as they used three hits and a sac fly to add a pair of insurance runs.
Gabelt lined a single to right to start the seventh to try and spark a Colonial comeback. One out later, senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller dropped a single into center to put two runners on, but each of the next two Colonials grounded out to close the contest.
Senior
Nicole Sleith took the loss despite allowing two earned runs in a complete game effort. She struck out seven without walking or hitting a batter.
RMU fell behind early in the second contest, but this time it rallied to take control of the game.
St. Bonaventure scored twice in the first after a two-run double drove in runners who had reached on a bunt single and a walk.
Gerhart started the bottom half by shooting a single into left center. After a sharp lineout by Apke and a wild pitch, Lorusso singled on a 1-2 pitch, allowing the junior to come home on the play.
Two singles sandwiched around a sacrifice gave the Bonnies an additional run in the second. Stocks and sophomore
Stacey Capp tried to start a two-out rally as both singled with two away in the home half, but a groundout closed the inning.
A leadoff double and a two-out single that rolled by the second base bag increased the Bonnies' edge to three runs in the third.
RMU came roaring back with a vengeance in the bottom half.
The Colonials batted around as eight of the first nine reached base via hit or walk. Gerhart got the party started by lining a single down the left field line. Apke followed by ripping a pitch to straightaway center as the senior hustled around the bases for a RBI triple. Lorusso followed by plating Apke with a sacrifice fly to left to pull RMU within one. Gabelt got things restarted by blasting a ground-rule double to deep right center. Schwartzmiller then lined a RBI single to right to tie the game. Junior
Lauren Hackett and Stocks then both took walks to load the bases. Freshman
Mary Funderlich was then called upon to pinch hit, and the rookie delivered with a single off the diving shortstop's glove to give RMU the lead. Gurganus followed with a RBI single before a passed ball scored the final run of the inning.
A walk, an infield single and a groundout put two in scoring positon for St. Bonaventure in the fourth, but Stocks got a big strikeout to keep the lead at three runs.
Gabelt notched her second double in as many innings with one out in the fourth, lining a pitch down the left field line, but she would not advance further.
Stocks worked around a leadoff double in the fifth by following with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.
Gurganus singled with two outs in the fifth but would not advance before Stocks retired the side in order in the sixth with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
Lorusso roped a double to center with one away in the sixth before Gabelt followed with a single to left to plate the rookie with an insurance run.
An error to start the frame and consecutive one-out singles loaded the bases for the Bonnies in the seventh. Stocks then got the next batter to pop up for an infield fly for the second out. With the tying run at the plate, Stocks battled and got a seven-pitch strikeout to put the contest in the win column for RMU.
RMU's 14 hits against the Bonnies are its most in a game since April 2013, a span of 76 games. It was also the fourth time this season in 11 games that the Colonials posted at least four extra-base hits.
Gerhart tallied her third multi-hit game of the season and the 26th of her career while Gabelt collected her fourth of the season and the 15th of her career.
Apke's triple was her first in a Colonial uniform while Lorusso notched the fourth multi-hit effort of her young career.
RMU will close play in the tournament Sunday with back-to-back games against host Charlotte.
