Smithfield, R.I. – Senior
Nicole Sleith surpassed a major program milestone in leading the
Robert Morris University softball team to a Northeast Conference road sweep over defending league champion Bryant on a pleasant Sunday afternoon at Conaty Park.
RMU won a nail-biter in the opener, 2-0, before claiming a somewhat more comfortable 5-0 victory in the nightcap.
Sleith dominated in the circle Sunday as she tossed a pair of shutouts, collecting 13 strikeouts in the process. In doing so, she broke Robert Morris' all-time strikeout record, surpassing the old mark held by
Lauren Dickinson, as she now has 844 in her career. Sleith, who ranked among the top 10 active Division I pitchers in career strikeouts entering the weekend, topped 200 strikeouts in 2015 Sunday, becoming the first Colonial to reach that mark in three different seasons. She allowed only six hits on the day as she increased her season shutout total to seven and her career figure to 25.
Junior
Ashley Gerhart was an offensive force for RMU against the Bulldogs. She went 5-for-6 in the twinbill with a double, two RBI, two runs and a steal while only being retired on a rocket of a line drive that was snagged. Her pair of multi-hit games gave her 10 for the season and 33 in her career while her multi-RBI outing in the nightcap was her fifth of 2015 and the 13th of her career.
Sophomore
Jordan Gurganus was also highly effective at the plate for the Colonials as she finished a combined 4-for-8 with a run scored. It marks the second time this season she has put together three consecutive multi-hit games. She now has a team-leading 14 such efforts this season and 27 in her career.
RMU got a run early in the opener and clung to it for much of the rest of the contest.
Junior
Kristen Gabelt drove a single to left with two away in the top of the first but would be left on base.
A leadoff walk in the bottom half gave Bryant an early opening. After a strikeout, a stolen base moved the runner to second and a fly ball advanced her to third. With two away, Sleith struck out the Bulldog cleanup batter swinging to leave a runner in scoring position.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks began the second with a line drive double into the left center gap. One out later, Gerhart dropped a single into left, and her classmate came around to score on the play.
Sleith retired the side in order in the home half on seven pitches on a popup, a swinging strikeout and a groundout.
Gabelt was hit by a pitch with two outs in the third but would not move up further.
Sleith was again highly efficient in the home half as she set down the side on five pitches on two popups and a fly ball to Gabelt.
Gerhart ripped a liner back up the middle in the fourth, but the pitcher made a great reactionary stab to help retire the Colonials in order.
A leadoff single gave Bryant life in the fourth, but when the runner subsequently tried to swipe second, senior
Samantha Santillo threw a bullet to the bag to catch her stealing. Sleith then won a pair of lengthy battles, collecting a pair of swinging strikeouts on 10 and eight pitches, respectively.
Senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller led off the fifth with a single to left and was sacrificed to second by Santillo. Gurganus then dropped down a bunt single to put a pair of runners on, but a groundout and an eight-pitch strikeout followed.
Bryant had a good chance to tie it in the fifth as the Bulldogs began the frame with a double. After a strikeout, a ground ball was hit toward the middle, but sophomore
Stacey Capp made a diving stop to knock it down. Although the batter reached with an infield hit, Capp's play most likely saved a run. Sleith got the next batter to pop up on the infield before a grounder to third helped the Colonials escape the threat.
After RMU went in order in the sixth, the Bulldogs notched a one-out single in the bottom half. Sleith then dug in and retired the three and four hitters on a fly ball and a popup.
Gerhart knocked a single to right to lead off the seventh before Schwartzmiller did her job by putting down a sacrifice. Santillo then came through by driving a two-strike pitch to the opposite field for a RBI double to the fence in right center. Gurganus then singled to put two runners on, but back-to-back groundouts followed.
Sleith ended the proceedings quickly in the bottom half by getting a fly out and two groundouts on eight pitches.
Stocks' two-bagger was her fourth of the season, and 21st of her career, while Santillo's double was her fifth of 2015 and her 17th in a Colonial uniform.
Robert Morris would again take a lead relatively early in the nightcap though it was able to grab more insurance runs this time around.
Each team went down 1-2-3 in the first inning.
Senior
Tess Apke started the second by hitting an opposite-field single while behind in the count. Stocks then took a walk to put two on base. After an out, Gerhart ripped a single to right to bring home Apke while Stocks moved to third. The two juniors then executed a double steal to give RMU a second run.
Bryant dumped a single into left center to start the bottom half. With the runner then on second with one away, Sleith got a swinging strikeout and a popup to strand the runner.
Gurganus began the third with a single and was then sacrificed to second by Capp. Gabelt then came through with a RBI single to center, extending the lead to three runs and increasing her hitting streak to 12 games.
Sleith struck out the first two batters looking in the home half before the Bulldogs knocked a double to left. RMU got out of the inning when Gurganus made a nice backhand stop to begin an unassisted putout.
The Colonials began to open up some breathing room in the fourth. Freshman
Olivia Lorusso started things by doubling off the center field fence. Gerhart then traded places with her teammate by driving a ball into the right center gap for a two-bagger. A Gurganus single coupled with Bulldog miscues would allow Gerhart to score later in the inning.
Sleith set down the Bulldogs in order in the home half as Gurganus handled a popup near the dugout railing nicely for the first out. Sleith then got a swinging strikeout, breaking the record in the process, and a groundout to close out the inning.
Stocks worked a seven-pitch walk to begin the fifth. One out later, Gerhart singled to put two on base, but RMU would not add on any further.
Bryant took a leadoff walk in the home half. The next batter hit a relatively hard grounder toward the middle, but Schwartzmiller reached it ranging well to her left and then changed direction to begin a 6-3 double play that helped keep the hosts off the board that frame.
Capp lined a single to right with two away in the sixth but would not advance.
Sleith retired the side in order in the bottom half on seven pitches as she got two fly outs and a groundout.
Gabelt walked to begin the seventh but would not move up further despite a hard liner by Stocks one out later.
RMU finished the game off in style courtesy of Schwartzmiller and Sleith. The shortstop tracked down a grounder deep in the hole and made the long throw across for the first out before the pitcher followed by getting back-to-back swinging strikeouts to finish off the day.
Sleith increased her career win total to 71 Sunday, moving into a tie for second in RMU history, as she made her 100th career start against the Bulldogs.
Gerhart's three-hit game was her second of the season, and ninth of her career, as she also notched her 16th career double.
Gabelt reached base safely for the 18th consecutive game in the nightcap while Apke increased her career hit total to 169, moving into sole possession of seventh place in RMU history.
Lorusso's double was the fifth of her rookie campaign as she posted an extra-base hit for the second straight day that the Colonials played.
RMU improved to 6-0 in NEC play with the victories, marking the first time that it has won each of its first six league games in over 20 years.
Robert Morris will next take a step out of conference play as it hosts Youngstown State Wednesday for a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader.
