Moon Township, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University softball team dropped a doubleheader to Youngstown State in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon at a mostly cloudy North Athletic Complex.
The opening game saw RMU rally from a three-run deficit to tie the contest, but the Colonials were unable to pull ahead and dropped a one-run affair, 4-3.
Junior
Haileigh Stocks was one of the top contributors in the contest for Robert Morris. She allowed only five hits and one earned run in a complete-game effort in the circle while adding a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with a RBI and a run scored. She posted her fourth multi-hit effort in her past nine games, which was the 17th of her career.
Junior
Ashley Gerhart continued her hot hitting of late as she was 2-for-3 with a run scored to tally multiple hits in her fourth straight game. She now has 11 multi-hit efforts on the season and 34 in her career.
The beginning of the game was full of activity as runs were scored in five of the first seven half-innings.
A walk and single with one out and a two-out miscue by the Colonials gave the Penguins a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first inning.
After RMU went in order in the home half, Youngstown State used a walk, a single and a hit batter to load the bases in the second. With two outs, Robert Morris was unable to handle a grounder, which plated a run for the Penguins. Stocks was able to get out of further trouble by handling a comebacker.
Robert Morris began to fight back in the home half as Stocks ripped a single down the left field line with one out. After a second out, Gerhart lined a single into center before senior
Alexis Schwartzmiller worked a seven-pitch walk on a full count. With the bases loaded and two outs, freshman
Kecia Sharp delivered by lining a two-run single to center.
Stocks worked around a pair of walks in the third by getting two strikeouts and a groundout.
The Colonials would tie it in the third. Senior
Tess Apke golfed a single to left with two strikes and two outs before Stocks drove a pitch into the left center gap for a RBI double.
Youngstown State refused to let the game be tied for long, though, as it used a homer to start the fourth inning to pull ahead before Stocks set down the next three in order.
Gerhart led off the home half by knocking a single to right center, her sixth consecutive plate appearance with a base hit. After a fly ball out, a sharp liner was turned into a line-drive double play to end the inning.
Stocks retired the Penguins 1-2-3 in the fifth on two groundouts and a lineout.
An error by Youngstown State allowed a Colonial to reach base to lead off the home half. She was promptly moved to second on a sacrifice by sophomore
Stacey Capp, but a fly out and a groundout followed.
Youngstown State loaded the bases in the sixth on two singles and a walk, but Stocks got a weak groundout that she gloved herself on one hop for the final out.
Each of the next two half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
Schwartzmiller singled to center to start the bottom of the seventh. One out later, sophomore
Jordan Gurganus poked a single down the left field line and then advanced on the throw to put runners at second and third. With the tying and winning runs in scoring position, the Colonials were unable to complete the comeback as Youngstown State retired the next two batters to eke out a win.
Stocks now has a double on each of the last three days that RMU has played as she increased her career total for two-baggers to 22, moving into the RMU career top 10 as a result.
Sharp's two RBI were the first of her career. Gurganus notched her 47th hit of the campaign, tying the mark she compiled in her rookie season, albeit in 14 fewer games.
The second game of the doubleheader was ended by the hosts before it was of regulation length, giving the Penguins the victory.
Robert Morris will next take to the field Saturday as it returns to Northeast Conference action by hosting LIU Brooklyn for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.
