Boca Raton, Fla. – Behind the arm of freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy and the bat of senior
Ashley Gerhart, the
Robert Morris University softball team stunned Florida Atlantic, 2-1, in the opening game of the Parents' Weekend Tournament Thursday evening at a warm FAU Softball Stadium.
The Owls, who entered this week one spot outside the national top 25, rebounded to claim the nightcap of the doubleheader, 7-0.
Florida Atlantic opened the day with a 19-2 mark and fresh off a 2015 campaign in which it reached a NCAA regional final. However, Ellzy and the Colonials were up to the task in the opening game.
Ellzy yielded just three hits and one unearned run against Florida Atlantic in earning the complete-game victory. It marked the first time the Owls had been held to three hits or fewer since reigning USA Softball National Player of the Year Lauren Haeger accomplished the feat for Florida in the NCAA Tournament last season.
Ellzy struck out five and was the beneficiary of an error-free defensive effort that saw the Colonial infield handle 15 ground ball outs without a miscue.
Gerhart provided the only offense Robert Morris would need in the opener and finished the day a combined 2-for-5 with a home run and a walk. The long ball was her first of the season and the 13th of her career.
RMU would jump out to an early lead on FAU and never let the Owls pull even on the scoreboard.
With one away in the first, senior
Lauren Hackett was hit by a pitch. With two down, Gerhart lofted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right field, as it clanged off the bottom of the scoreboard.
A walk, a groundout, a passed ball and a bloop single gave FAU its only run in the home half.
Senior
Haileigh Stocks lined a one-out single to center in the second but would not advance.
Ellzy retired the side in order in the bottom half on a trio of groundouts, two of which were handled by sophomore
Olivia Lorusso.
After RMU went in order in the third, a one-out walk gave FAU an opening in the home half. However, junior
Jordan Gurganus then fired a strike to the second base bag to catch the runner trying to steal as classmate
Stacey Capp fielded the throw. Capp then handled a groundout on the backhand to close the frame.
Lorusso took a two-out walk in the fourth inning, but a five-pitch strikeout followed.
Ellzy sent FAU down 1-2-3 in the home half, thanks in part to a nice play in which Stocks ranged a good deal towards the middle before tossing to first for the out.
Each team went in order in the fifth with Ellzy setting down the Owls on a looking strikeout and a pair of groundouts to the right side.
After the Colonials were retired in order in the sixth, FAU put together a scoring opportunity in the bottom half. A one-out bunt single got things started before a single bounded through the middle put two runners on. RMU would then force the lead runner on a fielder's choice, but a wild pitch then moved two into scoring position. Ellzy then came up huge as she won a 12-pitch battle by striking out an Owl swinging to strand both runners.
RMU was unable to add any insurance in the seventh as it went down 1-2-3.
Ellzy struck out the first batter of the seventh, but she would reach base on a passed ball. A sacrifice then moved the runner to second with one out before Capp handled a grounder for the second out. Ellzy then stabbed a low, hard-hit grounder in the circle and tossed to Hackett to complete the victory.
Gerhart's multi-RBI effort in the contest was her second of the season and the 17th of her career.
Florida Atlantic would turn the tables on RMU in the nightcap as it jumped on top early and never let up.
After Robert Morris went in order in the first, FAU scored a trio of unearned runs in the bottom half. The Owls only had two hits in the frame but used a walk and a trio of Colonial miscues to pull ahead.
Gerhart singled to open the second inning, but the next three Colonials were retired.
Florida Atlantic added a run in the second on a leadoff walk, two steals and a RBI groundout.
Gurganus knocked a single down the right field line with two outs in the third, but a groundout ensued.
The Owls got a single tally in the third on a leadoff double and a one-out single.
Gerhart reached with one away in the fourth on a ground ball to the right side. Lorusso followed by shooting a single into center, but a baserunning blunder and a groundout would end the inning.
Freshman
Laura Coulter had a strong fourth inning as she retired the side in order on a popup, a fly out and a three-pitch strikeout.
The Colonials went in order in the fifth on a trio of groundouts.
A leadoff single, a one-out walk and a two-out double, which came on a grounder that bounced well over an infielder's head, scored a pair of runs for FAU in the home half.
A pair of fly outs and a groundout set RMU down 1-2-3 in the sixth.
Coulter worked around a leadoff single in the home half by striking out the next two batters and getting a fly ball to shallow left.
Gerhart walked to begin the seventh, and Stocks walked two outs later, but a rally was not in the cards for the guests.
RMU continues play in the event Friday with a pair of games against UMass and nationally ranked Minnesota.
