Brooklyn, N.Y. – The
Robert Morris University softball team dropped the opening game of the Northeast Conference Tournament to Saint Francis Thursday at a sunny and warm LIU Field.
The Red Flash claimed a 7-0 decision and scored each of their runs in the fifth frame. Six of the seven tallies were unearned.
RMU will resume action in the double-elimination event Friday afternoon against the loser of Thursday's other opening-round game.
Freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy pitched well in defeat as she allowed three hits and one earned run in 4.2 innings of work. She struck out five batters while walking just one.
Senior
Lauren Hackett was hit by a pitch with one out in the first inning but would not advance.
Ellzy struck out two batters in the home half and worked around a two-out single by a getting a fielder's choice force out.
Freshman
Abrielle McCartney was hit by a pitch with two outs in the second, and junior
Stacey Capp followed by lining a single to left. However, RMU could not plate either runner.
A hit batter, a walk and a wild pitch gave Saint Francis two runners in scoring position with no outs in the second. Ellzy then got a strikeout and consecutive groundouts to get out of trouble and strand both runners.
Junior
Jordan Gurganus singled to right field to begin the third inning, but the next three Colonials hit into outs, the final one of which was a liner snared by a jumping second baseman.
Ellzy retired the side in order in the bottom half on two strikeouts and a fly out.
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety although both sophomore
Olivia Lorusso and redshirt freshman
Kristen Pray made solid contact to left field.
Saint Francis took advantage of a couple RMU missteps in the bottom of the fifth as it scored seven times on just four hits. Two miscues, a hit batter and a fielder's choice RBI all occurred in the inning.
Senior
Lauren Hackett worked a full-count walk to begin the sixth. RMU would load the bases with two outs after an error and a hard single by Lorusso, which may have reached center field but instead nailed the pitcher's leg. A groundout by the Colonials left three on board.
The Red Flash managed a two-out single in the sixth but would not advance the runner.
Pray singled with one down in the seventh, but the next two Colonials were retired.
Both Capp and Lorusso surpassed the RMU single-season record for assists that had stood for 13 years with their defensive efforts Thursday. Gurganus moved into a tie for seventh in single-season hits (61) with her single.
The Colonials will play either host LIU Brooklyn or Bryant at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
