Oxford, Ohio – The
Robert Morris University softball team claimed a pair of shutout victories on the strength of a brilliant performance in the circle by senior
Nicole Sleith and an offense that tallied seven extra-base hits on the final day of the Miami Invitational under mostly sunny skies Sunday at the Miami Softball Stadium.
RMU defeated Oakland, 3-0, Sunday morning before downing Detroit, 5-0, later in the day.
In doing so, Robert Morris emerged from the Miami Invitational as the de facto champions as RMU's 4-1 record in the event gave it the best winning percentage of the six teams competing.
Sleith went the distance in both affairs to tally a pair of shutouts on the same day for the first time in her career. She allowed nine combined hits in the 14 innings while striking out 19 against a lone walk on the day. Sleith, who threw more than 72 percent of pitches for strikes on the day, collected her third consecutive shutout in as many appearances, achieving that feat for the first time in her career, as she also allowed zeros in the run column Saturday night.
With Sleith leading the way and the RMU defense assisting, the Colonials posted shutouts in three consecutive games, where each went the regulation distance, for the first time since 1993.
The Colonial offense also did their part Sunday as RMU posted a .400 on-base percentage and a .559 slugging mark as a team.
Junior
Ashley Gerhart reached base safely in six of her eight plate appearances Sunday as she finished 4-for-6 with two walks, a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a steal. Her pair of multi-hit efforts gave her five for the season and 28 in her career while the long ball was her second of the season and the ninth of her career.
Junior
Kristen Gabelt joined her classmate in reaching four times as she was 2-for-5 with a pair of walks and a three-run homer. It was her second round-tripper of the season, and sixth of her career, and allowed her to notch her second three-RBI effort of the campaign.
Sophomore
Jordan Gurganus matched the two junior outfielders in getting on four times. She was 3-for-7 with a walk, a triple, a RBI and two runs scored. She netted her third triple of the season, and fifth of her career, in the second game, allowing her to post an extra-base hit on each of the three days of the tournament.
RMU had a variety of opportunities in the opener against Oakland but would only need to take advantage of a few to secure the victory.
Gerhart walked with two away in the top of the first and senior
Tess Apke followed with a sharp single to left to put two on, but a groundout closed the frame.
A two-out single to center and a steal of second gave Oakland a chance in the home half, but Sleith got a swinging strikeout to strand the runner.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks nailed a single off the pitcher's leg to start the second and was moved along courtesy of a sacrifice by senior
Samantha Santillo. With two outs, junior
Lauren Hackett singled and then stole second to place a pair of Colonials in scoring position, but a nice play by the Golden Grizzlies' shortstop on a grounder ended the inning.
Oakland had a golden opportunity to pull ahead in the home half as a double, an infield single and a steal put two in scoring position with no outs. Sleith dug in and struck out three of the next four batters to keep the Golden Grizzlies off the board.
RMU scored first in the third as a leadoff double to deep center by sophomore
Stacey Capp was followed one later by a two-bagger by Apke into the left center gap. Stocks walked with two out to put two on base, but Robert Morris would not add on further.
Oakland used a bunt single and a sacrifice to get a runner to second base with one out in the bottom half, but Sleith got a swinging strikeout and handled a groundout to retire the side.
After RMU went in order for the only time in the game in the fourth, the Golden Grizzlies got a two-out baserunner via the Colonials' lone miscue of the day, but Sleith was not fazed as she got the next batter to ground out.
A single by Gerhart, a double to left center by Apke and a walk by Gabelt happened consecutively to load the bases with one out in the fifth, but Robert Morris would leave the trio on base.
Sleith sent down Oakland in order in the bottom half on a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.
Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller and Gurganus singled one out apart in the sixth. A groundout then advanced the runners to second and third and Gerhart followed with a two-run single that snuck through the left side of the infield.
Sleith worked around a one-out single in the bottom half by retiring the next two batters on a groundout and a strikeout.
Gabelt led off the seventh with a solid single to left and would reach third base with two outs but would be left there.
Sleith finished the proceedings by getting Oakland to go down 1-2-3 in the bottom half as she posted a strikeout, and Gabelt caught two outs in left.
Apke's three-hit effort in the opener was her first of the season and the fifth of her career. The first multi-double game of her career gave her a team-high six for the season. It also moved her career total for two-baggers to 30 as she moved alone into third place in that category in RMU history.
Gerhart contributed her team-leading fourth multi-RBI performance of the season and the 12th of her career against the Golden Grizzlies.
RMU would grab an early lead over Detroit and add on a few insurance tallies late.
After Sleith retired the side in order in the top of the first on a pair of groundouts and a strikeout, RMU struck in the home half.
Gurganus singled to center, and Gerhart ripped a single to right one out later. With two outs and a 1-2 count, Gabelt launched a three-run shot to left center to put a crooked number on the board. Santillo followed with a single to center to try and restart things, but a strikeout was the third out.
A two-out single to right center gave the Titans their first baserunner in the second, but Sleith got the third out via strikeout.
RMU went in order for the only time in the contest in the home half although Detroit robbed Stocks of a hit on a liner during the frame.
Sleith got the Titans 1-2-3 in the third on a popup, a groundout and a strikeout.
Capp singled to left to start the bottom of the third, and Gabelt walked two outs later, but a foul out down the left field line ended the frame.
Detroit had their best chance to dent the scoreboard in the fourth as a trio of singles loaded the bases with one out. However, Sleith refused to give in as she won a nine-pitch battle for a strikeout before making quick work of the next batter, catching her looking on the third pitch.
Schwartzmiller started the fourth by driving a pitch up against the right field fence, and the veteran hustled into third with a leadoff triple. Two outs later, Gurganus crushed a pitch in a similar spot off the fence in right, and the sophomore cruised into third with the Colonials' second three-bagger of the inning.
Sleith faced the minimum in the fifth, and Gerhart crushed the first pitch of the home half well over the fence in left center to add an insurance run.
Detroit went in order in the sixth on a pair of fly outs and a strikeout.
A Gurganus walk, a single by Capp and a walk by Gerhart loaded the bases with two outs, but a groundout sent the teams to the seventh.
Sleith then retired the side in order for the second straight inning as she used a groundout, a strikeout and a fly ball to left to finish off the day for RMU.
Gurganus netted her team-leading 10th multi-hit effort of the season and the 23rd of her career against the Titans while Schwartzmiller posted her first-collegiate triple.
Capp tallied her second multi-hit game of 2015 against Detroit while Gabelt contributed the sixth multi-RBI game of her career.
Sleith notched her fourth shutout of the season and the 22nd of her career in her 127th appearance in a Colonial uniform, tying the RMU career record in the latter department. She also became the first Colonial in history to reach 150 strikeouts in a season four times in a career.
Apke posted her ninth multi-hit outing of 2015 in the opener and the 41st of her career.
RMU collected multiple triples in the same game for the first time in over four years as Allie Patton and Jaci Timko were the last to accomplish the feat for the Colonials.
Robert Morris will look to continue its winning ways from Sunday into next weekend as it opens its home slate with a three-game series against Niagara with a doubleheader Saturday, March 21, and a single game Sunday, March 22.
