Clearwater, Fla. – The
Robert Morris University softball team rallied to force extra innings against Georgetown after a lengthy rain delay and then won it in the eighth as the Colonials topped the Hoyas, 4-2, in each team's first game at the USF
Under Armour Showcase Friday afternoon at a wet Eddie C. Moore complex.
After enduring a delay over four hours in its opening game, RMU would run out of gas in its second game Friday evening as it fell to Maine, 5-1, despite out-hitting the Black Bears in the contest.
Senior
Nicole Sleith was brilliant in the opening game for the Colonials as she allowed only four hits in all eight innings of work. She did not allow an earned run and struck out 13 in the contest, marking her fourth start of the season, and second consecutive, in which she did not yield an earned run. The 13 strikeouts were one off matching her career high but still allowed her to post her sixth double-figure strikeout effort of the season, a new career best, and the 20th such outing in a Colonial uniform.
Senior
Tess Apke led RMU in hits Friday as she went 4-for-7 with a double and a RBI. She posted a pair of multi-hit games, giving her six for the season, tying the team lead, and 38 in her career. The two-bagger also moved her into sole possession of sixth place in career doubles at RMU (27).
Sophomore
Stacey Capp and freshman
Olivia Lorusso both went a combined 3-for-7 with a RBI Friday. The former scored a pair of runs while two of the latter's three hits went for doubles.
RMU fell behind early against the Hoyas before rallying later on for a win.
Apke singled to center with two outs in the top of the first but would not advance.
A light drizzle significantly picked up in intensity as the bottom of the first was beginning, and three pitches into the home half, play was halted due to the conditions. Although the precipitation did not last all that long, the teams would not resume until nearly 6:00 p.m. as they waited for the field to dry.
Georgetown would strike with its first chance as two walks and an error loaded the bases with one out. After a strikeout, a ground ball got through into center to score a pair of runs.
Junior
Ashley Gerhart worked a seven-pitch walk in the second with one out, but the next two Colonials were retired.
Sleith struck out a pair in the bottom half and closed the inning with a groundout.
Capp singled to center with two outs in the third, but a foul out followed to close the frame.
Each of the next two half-innings went in order with a combined five strikeouts.
Georgetown got a runner with a one-out single in the fourth. However, senior
Samantha Santillo threw out the Hoya trying to steal, which was one-third of a strong defensive inning for RMU that saw its two middle infielders each range a good distance to field a ground ball.
Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller started the comeback by leading off with a single to center. After a sacrifice by Santillo and a foul out, sophomore
Jordan Gurganus singled to put two on with two outs. Capp then came through with a RBI single to left to plate RMU's first run before Apke nailed a double to deep left to tie the game.
Sleith then worked around a two-out double that landed inches fair by striking out the next batter swinging.
Lorusso crushed a pitch to start the sixth as her fly ball touched the fence in the air as she settled for a double. One out later, Gerhart walked to put two on base, but a popup on the infield and a strikeout left both on base.
The Hoyas got a two-out single in the home half, but Sleith struck out the next batter swinging to send the game to the seventh still tied.
Neither team mounted a threat in the final regulation frame as both went down in order.
With the international tiebreaker in effect in the eighth inning, things initially appeared bleak for RMU as its first two hitters were retired. However, Gabelt then took a walk to put two on base for Gerhart, and the junior ripped a shot deep into the left center gap for a two-run triple.
That was more than enough for Sleith as she struck out the side in order in the bottom half to emphatically slam the door on a Colonial win.
Gerhart reached base safely in three of her four plate appearances and notched her team-leading third multi-RBI outing of the season and the 11th of her career. The triple was the second of her career.
Capp's first multi-hit game of the season helped RMU win its third consecutive game that has gone to extra innings.
RMU would once again fall behind early in its second game Friday but would be unable to mount a comeback this time against a fresh Black Bears squad.
After the Colonials went in order in the first, Maine used an infield single, a wild pitch, a groundout and a RMU error to score a run with two outs.
Each team went down in a 1-2-3 variety in the second inning.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks started the third with a single to center, but a strikeout and a pair of groundouts followed.
A one-out bunt single and a groundout that advanced the runner gave the Black Bears a chance with two outs in the home half, and they took advantage. Maine scored one run on a single to left on a controversial call at the plate and then tacked on another on a single up the middle.
Apke singled to left with one out in the fourth, and Lorusso followed with a ringing double to the fence in left. The Colonials would not take advantage of the chance, though, as a groundout and a fly out followed.
A base hit, a walk and a wild pitch put two in scoring positon to start the home half for Maine. With one out, an infield single and then a Colonial miscue brought home two runners.
After each team went in order in the fifth, Capp lofted a single to center with one out. Apke followed by legging out a hit before Lorusso singled to left to plate Capp. RMU would then have two in scoring position after a Black Bears' error, but a popup and a strikeout followed.
A one-out walk amounted to nothing for Maine in its final at bat.
Stocks laced an opposite-field double to start the seventh, but each of her next three teammates were retired, bringing a long day to a close for the Colonials.
Lorusso collected her fifth multi-hit game of the season for RMU while Stocks contributed the second of her season and the 13th of her career.
Robert Morris will be right back in action Saturday morning as it continues play in the tournament with matchups against Toledo and Dayton. With the prolonged weather delay in RMU's first game against Georgetown, the Colonials had fewer than 11 hours till first pitch of Saturday's game when they concluded play Friday.
