Lewisburg, Pa. – Six different members of the
Robert Morris University softball team tallied multi-hit games, but the Colonials would drop a 9-8 decision to Bucknell in the game's final at bat Friday afternoon at a clearing Becker Field.
RMU outhit the Bison, 13-10, but was unable to hold on to a mid-inning lead in the back-and-forth affair.
Freshman
Olivia Lorusso led the Colonials offensively by going 2-for-4 with a home run and a season-best five RBI. She posted her sixth multi-hit outing of the season, and her third multi-RBI effort, while blasting her third long ball of the campaign.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks helped the RMU offense by going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. She notched her fifth multi-hit performance of the season, the 16th of her career, while tallying the 20th two-bagger of her career.
Junior
Kristen Gabelt was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. She extended her hitting streak to an even 10 games, the first such double-digit stretch by a Colonial since senior
Tess Apke had one in 2013. Gabelt has also now reached base safely in 16 consecutive games.
RMU jumped on top right away in the top of the first inning.
Sophomore
Stacey Capp was hit by a pitch with one out to start things. Gabelt then lined a single to center before Apke singled to load the bases. After a second out, Lorusso came through in the clutch by lining a single to left center with two strikes that brought home a pair of runs.
Bucknell would answer immediately in the home half of the first. With two outs, a single, a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases before a double to left center put the hosts on top. The Bison would tack on one more run later in the frame due to a RMU miscue.
Robert Morris had a runner reach with two away in the second on a Bucknell error but would not take advantage.
With runners on first and second and one out in the bottom half, the Colonials turned a grounder into a double play to end the frame. Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller fielded a ball on the left side of the infield, tagged the lead runner and then fired to first to get the final out.
Robert Morris took the lead by putting up a crooked number in the third. Apke and junior
Ashley Gerhart singled consecutively with one out before Lorusso nailed the sixth pitch of her at bat over the fence in left center. Stocks restarted the rally right away by doubling into the right field corner before Schwartzmiller singled to put runners on the corners. Senior
Samantha Santillo then ripped a hot shot back up the middle. The potential base hit deflected off the pitcher's glove, allowing the Bison to record an out on the play although Stocks did score from third on the groundout. RMU's final run of the frame came when Schwartzmiller hustled home from second on a Bison error.
The Bison refused to let RMU get too far out in front as they answered back in the home half. With one away, the hosts loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. A single would bring home one run while a wild pitch allowed another to cross the plate. With runners on second and third and one down, Schwartzmiller would again start an inning-ending double play. She fired to first on a grounder for an out. After taking the throw at first, Santillo rifled home where sophomore
Jordan Gurganus applied the tag at the plate.
Gabelt worked a full count walk to start the fourth inning. After Gerhart lined a single to right one out later, RMU had runners on the corners. Gerhart then successfully stole second, and her classmate came home when the throw got away from the second base bag.
A leadoff single, a sacrifice, a single and a groundout put a run on the board for Bucknell in the bottom half although Robert Morris kept the tying run at third base.
After fouling off five pitches to start the fifth inning, Schwartzmiller placed a single into center. One out later, Gurganus singled to put two on base, but a strikeout and a groundout left the runners on base.
The Bison got a runner to third with two outs in the bottom half, but a foul out ended the chance.
After RMU went down in order for the only time on the day in the sixth, Bucknell tied it in the home half. A leadoff double, a groundout that advanced the runner and a RBI groundout tied the proceedings.
Stocks singled to center to start the seventh inning, representing the go-ahead run. Gurganus would line a single to left center with two away to move her teammate into scoring position, but a fly out ended the opportunity.
It didn't take long for the Bison to end it in the bottom half as their leadoff batter deposited a pitch over the fence in right center.
Santillo broke the RMU career record for putouts Friday as she has now tallied 1,007 in her four years.
Apke contributed her team-leading 13th multi-hit game of the season and the 45th of her career Friday. In doing so, she moved into a tie for seventh in all-time hits at RMU (168).
Gurganus posted her 12th multi-hit game of the season, and 25th of her career, while Gerhart tallied her eighth of the season and 31st of her career.
Schwartzmiller, who was one of seven Colonials to reach base safely multiple times Friday, collected her sixth multi-hit outing of 2015 and the 12th of her career.
Friday marked the first time in nearly three years that at least six Colonials posted multi-hit efforts in the same game. RMU also turned two ground balls into double plays for the first time in over three years.
Robert Morris will next take to the field Sunday as it resumes Northeast Conference action by traveling to defending league champion Bryant for a Noon doubleheader.
Schedule Note: The teams had previously agreed to play only a single game instead of a doubleheader.
