Cleveland, Ohio – After a strong offensive showing on the opening day of the season, the
Robert Morris University softball team was unable to score runs at the same pace Sunday as it dropped its final two games at the CSU Dome Invitational on a covered Krenzler Field.
RMU fell to the host Vikings in a pitcher's duel, 2-0, before it dropped a 7-1 decision to Bowling Green despite matching the Falcons in the hit column.
Senior
Kristen Gabelt finished the day 3-for-6 with a sacrifice. She contributed her third multi-hit effort of the season in just four games, which was also the 25th of her career.
Junior
Jordan Gurganus reached base in three of her seven plate appearances as she notched a pair of hits and a walk Sunday. She posted her third multi-hit outing of the season against Bowling Green, the 35th of her career.
Freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy was a tough-luck loser in RMU's opening game as she allowed only four hits and one earned run while going the distance. She posted seven strikeouts against a pair of walks.
After RMU went in order in the top of the first in the opening game of the day, Cleveland State used a two-out solo home run, which just cleared the short fence, to take the lead.
Senior
Haileigh Stocks poked a single to left with two away in the second, but she would be left on base.
Ellzy struck out two in the home half to work around a Colonial miscue.
An error by the Vikings in the third and a groundout gave RMU a runner on third with one out, but the Colonials could not take advantage of the chance.
Ellzy retired the side in order in the home half, thanks in part to a diving stab of a low liner by Gurganus.
Senior
Ashley Gerhart roped an opposite-field single to start the fourth and moved up courtesy of a sacrifice by Gabelt. However, the next two Colonials grounded out.
A walk and a steal gave the Vikings a chance in the bottom half. A single to left followed, but Gabelt got behind the ball nicely and fired to the plate where classmate
Lauren Hackett grabbed the ball and dove back to apply the tag for the third out.
After the Colonials went in order in the fifth, Cleveland State added an unearned insurance tally courtesy of a RMU miscue and a RBI single.
A bunt single by the Vikings provided the only baserunner of the sixth inning for either team as Ellzy struck out the side in the home half.
RMU was unable to mount a rally in the seventh and suffered the setback.
Stocks' hit in the second inning represented the 100th of her collegiate career.
The Colonials produced more scoring opportunities against Bowling Green but were unable to take advantage.
Freshman
Lacee Collins retired the side in order in the top of the first inning on a groundout, a strikeout and a lineout.
Gurganus started the bottom half nicely with a seven-pitch walk. Two outs later, Gabelt singled to put a pair on runners on base, but a strikeout followed.
Collins retired the Falcons in order again in the second on a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
Sophomore
Olivia Lorusso worked an eight-pitch walk with two away in the home half but would not advance.
Collins worked around a leadoff double in the third by striking out the next two batters and then handling a groundout herself.
Gurganus singled to begin the bottom of the third and redshirt freshman
Kristen Pray then sacrificed her to second. However, the next two Colonials were unable to bring home the run.
Bowling Green scored three times in the fourth, two of which were unearned, without the benefit of a hit. Two walks, a hit batter, a RBI groundout and a Colonial miscue allowed the Falcons to strike first.
Hackett cut into that cushion by beginning the bottom half with a blast over the fence in left center, the third long ball of her career. After an error by Bowling Green gave RMU an opening, junior
Stacey Capp ripped a line drive that found the glove of the third baseman, an out that helped end a rally chance.
A walk, an infield single and a sacrifice put two Falcons in scoring position with one away in the fifth, but Collins got a big strikeout and then induced a popup to keep them from adding to their lead for the time being.
Gurganus lined a single to left center to start the bottom half. After a similar liner was caught by the left fielder for the first out, Gerhart and Gabelt singled consecutively to load the bases. However, a lineout to left and a groundout to third kept the Colonials from pulling closer.
Bowling Green pulled away in the sixth. A trio of hits to the outfield plated the Falcons' first run of the inning. Things got worse for RMU when two of the next three batters put balls in play on the infield that the Colonials were unable to turn into outs, resulting in three more runs crossing the plate.
RMU went in order in the bottom of the frame.
The Falcons took a walk and had a single in the top of the seventh but would not score further.
Pray singled with one away in the bottom half, and Gabelt followed suit one out later to put a pair on base, but Hackett's sharp line drive was handled on the infield for the game's final out.
Gabelt's three-hit performance against Bowling Green was the third of her career. Collins yielded four earned runs while tossing the first complete game of her career.
RMU will return to action next weekend at the
DeMarini Desert Classic, which is hosted by UNLV. The Colonials will face a pair of Pac-12 squads to open play in the event Friday, Feb. 19.
