Softball | 2/26/2016 3:45:00 PM
Box Score 1 Harrisonburg, Va. – The
Robert Morris University softball team grabbed an early lead against Binghamton, but the defending America East champions came roaring back to claim the victory Friday at a chilly and breezy Veterans Memorial Park in the opening game of the Macado's Invitational.
The Bearcats claimed a 15-5 decision in six innings.
Senior
Kristen Gabelt and junior
Jordan Gurganus both contributed multi-hit outings to lead the Colonial offense.
Gabelt finished 2-for-3 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. The left fielder contributed her fourth multi-hit effort of the season, the 26th of her career, while notching her 50th career RBI.
Gurganus went 2-for-4 with a run scored. The infielder notched her team-leading fifth multi-hit performance of the season, the 37th of her career, while scoring a run for the 50th time as a Colonial.
RMU jumped on top right away with a big first inning, but the Bearcats would not back down and put together their own rallies.
Gurganus began the game by beating out an infield single. After an out and a fielding miscue, Gabelt roped an opposite-field double to the fence in right on a full count. Senior
Haileigh Stocks then walked to load the bases before senior
Lauren Hackett dumped a RBI single into right field. Junior
Stacey Capp followed by sending a fly ball plenty deep to right to bring home a run with a sacrifice fly. Hackett and Stocks then executed a double steal to plate one more tally.
Binghamton would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning by using a trio of hits, a walk and a RBI fielder's choice, on which Capp made a nice stop of a well-hit grounder.
RMU would go in order in each of its next two at bats while the Bearcats scored twice in each of their next times up to pull ahead.
The Bearcats scored a pair of unearned tallies in the second after a Colonial miscue with two outs extended the inning. Binghamton used a trio of singles, the final two of which came with two outs, to score twice and take the lead after three innings.
RMU got one run back in the fourth, but it could have been more. Capp began the frame by shooting a pitch quickly on a line into the right center gap for a standup double. Sophomore
Olivia Lorusso followed with a single to put a pair on base, and the lead runner would then score on a fielder's choice. A walk by redshirt freshman
Kristen Pray loaded the bases with one out, but an untimely line drive double play followed to end the inning.
The Bearcats would get that run back with a two-out solo homer to right in the bottom half.
Gabelt knocked a single to center to start the fifth. After a Binghamton error put two on base, Hackett moved both runners along with a sacrifice. However, both runners would be stranded after a full count strikeout and a fly out to center.
Binghamton pulled away in the home half as it used three hits, a walk, an error and a double steal to score four times.
Gurganus singled with one away in the sixth, but a pair of lineouts followed to close the frame.
Binghamton ended the game in the bottom half with a three-run home run with two outs after a pair of hit batters and a single had set the table.
Capp's two-bagger was her team-leading fourth of the season, and seventh of her career, while Gabelt's was her second of the season and the 18th of her career.
RMU will continue play in the event Saturday with a rematch against Binghamton at an adjusted start time of 12:30 p.m.
Schedule Note: Robert Morris' scheduled game against Toledo Friday was canceled when the tournament schedule was altered due to cold temperatures. The game will not be made up as the Colonials are now slated to play a total of four games this weekend.
