Clearwater, Fla. – The
Robert Morris University softball team was unable to find a recipe for success Saturday at the USF
Under Armour Showcase as the Colonials dropped games to Toledo and Dayton at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
RMU fell to the Rockets, 8-1, in its first game despite falling just one short in the hit column (10-9) and dropped a tough 1-0 decision to the Flyers later in the day.
Senior
Nicole Sleith was a tough-luck loser for the Colonials against Dayton as she allowed only four hits and a lone run in a complete-game effort. In doing so, she continued a highly impressive series of outings as she owns a 0.60 ERA in her last five starts, all complete game-efforts, with 45 strikeouts.
Senior
Tess Apke notched a pair of hits, including a double, and a RBI Saturday and continued to climb in a variety of career categories. The two-bagger was her fourth of the season and the 28th of her career, moving her into a tie for fifth all-time at RMU in that category. The double also doubled as her 150th career hit, which leaves her 14 shy of cracking the Colonial all-time top 10.
Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller contributed a multi-hit game in the opener for the Colonials, her fourth such performance of the season.
Apke and Schwartzmiller were among eight of the nine Colonials starters to get a hit in the opening game against Toledo, but the collective effort was not enough to lift RMU.
The Rockets used three consecutive hits with two outs to plate a run in the top of the first inning.
A Toledo error, a sacrifice by sophomore
Stacey Capp and a single by Apke tied the game after three batters in the bottom half. Junior
Ashley Gerhart singled with two outs to put two runners on base, but a groundout ended RMU's chance to jump on top.
The Rockets used a solo homer just over the fence in left to take a lead in the second as RMU then went in order in the home half.
Toledo broke it open in the third as two walks and a base hit had the bases loaded. With two outs, consecutive hits scored four runs for the Rockets.
Sophomore
Jordan Gurganus and Capp each singled to give RMU a promising start at responding, but each of the next three batters were retired.
RMU worked around a leadoff infield single for Toledo in the fourth.
Junior
Kristen Gabelt ripped a triple into the right center gap with one out in the home half, but the Colonials were unable to take advantage.
A one-out walk followed by a triple added a run to the total of the Rockets in the fifth.
Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller began the home half with an opposite-field single, but she would not move any further.
Toledo added its final run via solo homer in the sixth.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks knocked a single to right with two outs in the bottom half, but a nine-pitch strikeout followed.
After Toledo went in order in the seventh, senior
Samantha Santillo ripped a double to the fence in left center to start the home half. Schwartzmiller followed by grounding a single into left to put runners on the corners, but the next three Colonials were unable to continue to rally.
Gabelt's triple was her first of the season and the third of her career while Santillo's two-bagger was her fourth of the campaign and 16th of her career.
The setback for RMU dropped it to 1-1 on the campaign against Toledo as the Colonials were victorious in the first meeting of the year between the teams one month ago.
Robert Morris was in its game with Dayton until the bitter end but could not come out victorious.
Capp put together a fantastic at bat in the top of the first as she fouled off nine pitches before finally lining the 14th pitch she saw to the left side of the infield off the shortstop and into left center. A wild pitch moved her into scoring position with one out, but a popup and a strikeout closed the frame.
Sleith struck out two in the home half and handled a groundout herself.
Gabelt worked a seven-pitch walk with two away in the second, but a popup was then caught in foul ground for the third out.
Sleith worked around a two-out walk in the bottom half by getting a groundout to third.
After RMU went in order in the third, Dayton scored the lone run of the contest. A leadoff light single down the right field line, a sacrifice, a groundout and an infield single combined to push a run across for the Flyers.
RMU went down 1-2-3 in the fourth before Dayton looked to add to its lead with a two-out single but to no avail.
Santillo singled with two away in the fifth, but a seven-pitch strikeout on a full count then followed.
Sleith left a runner at second in the home half, after an infield single and a steal, by getting a groundout to Gurganus.
Apke ripped a double to right center with two outs in the sixth and freshman
Olivia Lorusso then walked to put the go-ahead run on base, but a popup on the infield was handled by Dayton.
After Sleith retired the side in order in the home half, RMU very nearly tied the game with two outs in the seventh as Santillo crushed a 2-2 pitch well over the fence in left but barely foul. The Flyers would then finish the game by getting a groundout.
RMU will look to end the weekend on a positive note with its final game of the event Sunday morning against Seton Hall.
