Washington, D.C. – Senior
Lauren Hackett knocked a walk-off single with two outs in the eighth inning, capping a five-run comeback, to lift the
Robert Morris University softball team to a thrilling, 7-6, win over Monmouth in the Colonials' final game of the District Invite Sunday at a cloud-filled George Washington Softball Field.
RMU had waged a furious three-run rally in the seventh inning, scoring twice when down to its final out, to tie the game and force extra frames.
Hackett posted a pair of hits on the day, giving her the first multi-hit game of her season and the eighth of her career. Each of the last two Colonial walk-off wins have come courtesy of Hackett's bat as she nailed a walk-off home run in win over Harvard last season.
Senior
Ashley Gerhart filled up the stat sheet as she finished 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and a RBI. The outfielder's first three-hit game of the season, and the 11th of her career, pushed her past 150 hits in her career.
Senior
Haileigh Stocks went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. She posted her second multi-hit game of the season, and 20th of her career, and her third multi-RBI effort of 2016, and 10th as a Colonial.
Monmouth pulled ahead in the middle innings and appeared to have the game in control, but Robert Morris displayed resilience and did not go away.
Freshman
Lacee Collins set down the Hawks in order in the top of the first on a pair of groundouts and a fly ball to shallow left.
Senior
Kristen Gabelt singled with two outs in the home half, and Gerhart followed with a single to right, but a fielder's choice ended the chance.
Monmouth got a pair of runners in the second on a walk and a RMU miscue, but Collins induced a groundout to escape the threat.
The Colonials got a runner with one out in the home half due to a Monmouth error, but a strikeout and a groundout followed.
A one-out single, a groundout that moved the runner and a two-out single put the Hawks on top in the third.
Hackett singled to center with one away in the third, and moved to second on a groundout, but she would be left there.
Two infield singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth for Monmouth. The Hawks would then score on a fielder's choice force out. After a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position, Collins wiggled her way out of trouble by getting a groundout and a fly ball to shallow right center, on which Gerhart made a diving catch sprinting in.
RMU would get one back in the home half, and it started when sophomore
Olivia Lorusso drilled a double to the fence in left center. Stocks followed by placing an opposite-field double in right center to trade places with her teammate, but Stocks would be left on base.
Two hits and a walk set up Monmouth for a big inning in the fifth, and the Hawks made good on their opportunity with a three-run homer to cap a four-run frame. Junior
Jordan Gurganus would catch a runner trying to steal to end the frame and prevent further damage.
With two outs and the bases empty in the home half, Gabelt knocked a single down the third base line to get something started. Gerhart then ripped a lined shot into the right center gap and raced all the way to third with a RBI triple. Freshman
Abrielle McCartney then singled to the opposite field to bring home Gerhart and cut the deficit to three. Lorusso followed with a full count walk to bring the tying run to the plate, but a groundout followed.
Freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy was dominant in the sixth inning as she struck out the side in order.
RMU also went in order in the home half although junior
Stacey Capp was robbed of extra bases by a brilliant diving catch by the Hawks' left fielder.
A miscue and a single up the middle gave Monmouth an opening in the top of the seventh, but Ellzy got the next batter to ground out to short.
Gabelt started RMU's comeback by reaching base on a ground ball to the left side of the infield. Gerhart then singled to put runners on the corners, and a wild pitch followed on which Gerhart moved all the way to third. McCartney then worked an eight-pitch walk after she had gone down in the count 0-2. After a second out, Stocks dumped a double down the right field line to bring RMU within a run. McCartney would tie the game on a wild pitch before a lineout sent the game to extras.
With the international tiebreaker in effect in the eighth, Monmouth sacrificed its runner to third to start the frame. Lorusso then handled a groundout before Ellzy got a three-pitch strikeout to keep the game tied.
Redshirt freshman
Kristen Pray began the bottom half on second base for RMU, and she moved to third on a groundout. With two outs, Hackett sent a single into left to send the Colonial bench into celebration mode.
Stocks' pair of doubles give her four on the season and 29 in her career. The latter figure moved her into a tie for fourth in Colonial history as she matched the total of her current assistant coach
Keri Meyer.
Gerhart's multi-hit effort was her third of the season, and 40th of her career, while her triple was her first of the season and the fifth of her career.
Ellzy earned the win in relief as she allowed a lone run in 3.2 innings. She struck out five without walking or hitting a batter.
Gabelt's multi-hit effort was her fifth of the season, and 27th of her career, while Lorusso's two-bagger was her first of the season and the sixth of her career.
RMU will resume action this Thursday, March 10, as it opens play in the Parents' Weekend Tournament with two games against host Florida Atlantic, a team receiving votes nationally.
