Washington, D.C. – The
Robert Morris University softball team was one strike away from a victory Friday afternoon, but George Washington had one final rally as the hosts topped RMU, 5-4 in nine innings, on a chilly day in each team's opening game at the District Invite.
RMU took a lead into the bottom of the seventh and also pulled ahead again in the ninth, but GWU refused to quit and finally won it in extra frames.
Freshman
Abrielle McCartney had the finest day of her young collegiate career as she went 3-for-4 with three RBI, the first runs batted in for the rookie as a collegian. She also posted her first multi-hit effort in a Colonial uniform.
Junior
Jordan Gurganus finished 2-for-4 with a sacrifice. It marked her fifth consecutive multi-hit effort, her team-leading ninth of the season and the 41st of her career.
Seniors
Kristen Gabelt and
Ashley Gerhart both reached base safely twice Friday as each went 1-for-3 with a walk, with the latter contributing her first double of the season.
After RMU went in order in the first, a leadoff single up the middle and a sacrifice gave GWU a runner in scoring position with one away. Freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy got the next two batters to ground out back to the circle to close the threat.
Robert Morris was retired in order in the second despite a well-struck liner by Gerhart that found the first baseman's glove.
A pair of walks, a wild pitch and a two-out single gave George Washington the lead in the second although Ellzy did get a strikeout to strand another runner in scoring position.
McCartney lined an inside-out single to left with two away in the third, and Gurganus followed with a single to center to put two aboard, but a popup followed on the next pitch.
A RMU miscue and a pair of walks loaded the bases in the home half, but Ellzy induced a fielder's choice force out to leave the sacks full.
Robert Morris pulled ahead in the fourth with a quartet of base hits. Gabelt walked to begin the frame before senior
Haileigh Stocks moved her along with a sacrifice. Gerhart then ripped a double to right center before senior
Lauren Hackett dumped a RBI single into left. Sophomore
Olivia Lorusso then poked an opposite-field single to right on a full count before a strikeout was recorded as the second out. McCartney then came through by shooting a two-run single to left to put RMU on top.
GWU got one run back in the home half, and it started with a leadoff triple. After a hit batter, Gurganus threw out the trail runner trying to steal, but the lead runner crossed the plate on the play. Ellzy would strand a runner at third with a strikeout after she had fallen behind in the count 3-0.
Both teams went in order in each of the next two innings.
Gurganus singled with two outs in the seventh, but a lineout followed.
A single, a pair of steals and a one-out double allowed the hosts to tie the game in the bottom half. Ellzy retired the next two hitters, on a ground ball to second and a foul out to left, to send the game to extras.
With the international tiebreaker in effect, Gabelt began the eighth with a single to put runners at the corners. After a groundout, Gerhart walked to load the bases. However, a force out at the plate and a popup on the infield kept RMU from pulling ahead.
The first pitch of the bottom half was lofted into center. Gerhart caught the ball in medium center and fired a bullet to third to catch the tiebreaker runner trying to tag for a double play. Hackett made a nice stab of a high grounder and recorded an unassisted putout to send the game to the ninth.
After a groundout began the ninth for RMU to move the runner to third, McCartney singled to center to put RMU back on top. Gurganus then put down a bunt and was controversially called out at first for the second out, and a fly out to right kept Robert Morris from adding on further.
A sacrifice by GWU was followed by a strikeout in the home half to bring RMU within an out of victory. However, a hit batter, a steal and a double to left center then followed to flip the final outcome in favor of the hosts.
Ellzy went the distance for Robert Morris while allowing four earned runs. It was her second straight complete game.
Robert Morris will look to get back into the win column Saturday with a pair of games against Columbia and co-host Georgetown.
