Brooklyn, N.Y. – The
Robert Morris University softball team will live to see its 2016 season last another day after winning two elimination games in the Northeast Conference Tournament Friday, including claiming a 15-inning thriller over Saint Francis, at a cloudy, and sometimes wet, LIU Field.
RMU began its day with a tight, 3-1 win over Bryant, a game that was tied entering the sixth inning.
That turned out to be barely an appetizer for what was to come as the Colonials then rallied from a three-run deficit to top Saint Francis in an epic affair that is the longest contest in NEC Tournament history. In the game against the Red Flash, Robert Morris was down to its final out twice but tied the game each time before winning it in the 15th.
Junior
Jordan Gurganus shot a single to center with two down in the 15th to score sophomore
Olivia Lorusso with the winning run, ending a 4:33 marathon.
With the two wins, RMU advances to the championship round of the NEC Tournament where it will face top-seeded LIU Brooklyn, who has yet to lose in this event.
The freshmen duo of
Laura Coulter and freshman
Kaitlin Ellzy were fantastic in the circle for Robert Morris. Each rookie allowed just five combined hits in 11 innings pitched Friday. Coulter yielded one unearned run in her time in the circle. She struck out a season-high 10 in six innings of relief against Saint Francis. Ellzy allowed four runs in 11 combined innings of action while striking out five. She earned the win in the opener by retiring all six batters she faced after entering with the go-ahead run on base.
Gurganus' winning hit, which was the 175th of her career, was one of four for her on the day as she also walked and scored a run. She tallied a pair of multi-hit efforts Friday and now has 22 on the season and 54 in her career.
Lorusso reached base safely seven times in 10 plate appearances Friday and factored prominently in both wins. She tallied four hits, including a home run and a double, walked three times and had three RBI and two runs. She knocked the go-ahead single in RMU's last bat in its win over Bryant and tied the game against the Red Flash with a RBI double in the 10th inning. Her pair of multi-hit games Friday gave her six on the season and 12 in her career.
Senior
Haileigh Stocks had three combined hits Friday and a run scored. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh against Saint Francis, she tied the game with a single to left center.
RMU never trailed in its opening game against Bryant, but the contest hung in the balance into the late innings.
Coulter retired the side in order in the first by handling a groundout herself, getting a fly ball to center and a lineout to second.
Gurganus singled to right field to begin the home half, and was promptly sacrificed to second by senior
Lauren Hackett, but a strikeout and popup followed.
Coulter worked a 1-2-3 second inning by getting a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a fly ball to right.
Lorusso gave RMU the lead in the bottom half by blasting a 1-1 offering high and deep and over the fence in left center. Freshman
Abrielle McCartney then sliced a single to left, but a line drive double play would end the inning on a well-struck ball by junior
Stacey Capp.
Bryant got its first baserunner in the third on a two-out double, but Coulter dug in and got the next batter to pop out on the infield.
Redshirt freshman
Kristen Pray was robbed of a hit to begin the bottom half on a diving catch by the shortstop of a low liner. Gurganus then singled to center, and Hackett followed with a single to left. However, RMU was unable to tack on any further.
Coulter retired the side in order in the fourth on three fly balls, including a couple nice grabs by Pray, one that put her right up against the fence.
After RMU went in order for the only time in the game, Bryant would tie the game in the fifth. A leadoff walk, a RMU miscue and a two-out double would tie the game. With runners on second and third and one of the Bulldogs' top hitters up, Coulter got a popup to short to keep the game all square.
Pray singled with one away in the fifth, but she would not move up despite a 15-pitch at bat by Hackett later in the inning.
Bryant would notch a leadoff single in the sixth, but Ellzy came in from the bullpen and stifled a potential rally by getting each of the next three hitters to hit into outs.
Stocks began RMU's winning rally by shooting a single to left center. Senior
Ashley Gerhart followed by lining a single to left. Lorusso then singled to center to put the Colonials in front, as Gerhart wisely moved into third on the play. McCartney then delivered an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to left to plate the senior.
Ellzy retired the side in order in the seventh on a pair of groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout.
Lorusso's long ball in the opener was her fourth of the season and the eighth of her career. Her multi-RBI outing was her second of 2016 and the sixth of her career.
RMU and Saint Francis were scheduled to play within an hour of when the Colonials' first contest ended, but their game ended up being delayed three hours and 29 minutes due to rain.
Hackett made a diving catch of a soft foul liner on the first pitch of the game. That helped Ellzy work around a one-out walk in the first by getting the next two batters to hit into outs.
RMU would go in order in the first despite a hard line drive by Gurganus that found an infielder's glove.
A leadoff walk and a home run to center would put Saint Francis ahead in the second inning.
Stocks singled to center to begin the home half. One out later, Lorusso worked a 13-pitch walk before McCartney singled to right to load the bases. However, RMU was unable to cut into the deficit.
A one-out solo homer to center gave the Red Flash another run in the third.
Hackett laced a double to left center with one down in the home half. Senior
Kristen Gabelt then sent a single into left to put runners at the corners. After a groundout, Gerhart drove a single to center to score both of her classmates and cut the margin to one.
Saint Francis would load the bases on two walks and a hit batter in the fourth, but Ellzy handled a groundout without issue to escape trouble.
Each of the next two half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
Gablet singled down the left field line with one away in the bottom of the fifth. She would advance to second with two down but would be left there.
Ellzy worked around a leadoff walk in the sixth by getting two strikeouts and a groundout on the next three hitters.
Lorusso singled to begin the bottom of the sixth, and McCartney then sacrificed her to second. However, a popup and a groundout then followed.
Ellzy set down Saint Francis in order in the seventh on a groundout, a foul out to Gurganus and a strikeout.
Gurganus singled to begin the bottom of the seventh with RMU down by a run. Hackett then singled to put runners at first and second. After a double play put RMU down to its final out, Stocks placed a single to left center to bring home Gurganus with the tying run. A popup then sent the game into extras.
Saint Francis tallied two walks with two outs in the eighth. With the next batter up, a pitch briefly slipped out of Gurganus' glove and trickled away. She caught the trail runner off first base, and RMU tried to get her out in a rundown. However, the lead runner then rounded third and tried to score, but Stocks alertly fired from the rundown to the plate to cut down the lead runner and secure the third out.
Each of the next three half-innings was of the 1-2-3 variety.
The Red Flash began the 10th with a walk and a single. Coulter then entered and got the next batter to hit into a force at second base. The next batter nailed a high, fly ball to deep center. It appeared as though it would have cleared the fence if not for an unbelievable, leaping grab by Gerhart at the fence. The out still did give SFU the lead on a sacrifice fly, but the senior likely saved two more tallies. After a hit batter, Coulter got a fly ball to left to keep the margin at one.
Gabelt singled to center to begin the home half and moved to second and then third on two groundouts. The Red Flash then looked to intentionally walk Lorusso for the second time. However, the 3-0 offering was close enough to the zone, and the sophomore reached out and doubled to right center to tie the game. A fly ball to left sent the game onward.
Coulter worked around a leadoff walk in the 11th by getting two strikeouts sandwiched around a popup.
Gurganus walked with one away in the bottom half but would not advance.
Coulter worked around a leadoff infield single with one away in the 12th as she got a strikeout and a groundout to follow.
Gerhart walked with one down in the home half, but consecutive lineouts followed.
Coulter retired the side in order in the 13th on a groundout and two strikeouts.
Capp singled to right center to begin the bottom half but would not move up further.
Coulter kept her run going by getting a pair of strikeouts and a fly ball to right in the 14th frame.
After RMU went in order, the Red Flash had a chance in the 15th. SFU began the inning with a single before Coulter got a strikeout. The rookie then stabbed a line drive before a hit batter put the go-ahead run in scoring position. However, Coulter then got a swinging strikeout to end the inning and strand the runners.
Lorusso worked a full-count walk to begin the bottom half, and she was sacrificed to second by McCartney. Capp then singled to put runners on the corners. After a second out, Gurganus lined a 1-1 pitch to center field to send the Colonial bench into jubilation.
Gurganus moved into a tie for eighth all-time at RMU in hits Friday and also slid into a tie for third in single-season hits (65).
Gerhart became the seventh Colonial to score 100 runs in a career with her run in the opening game. She moved into a tie for fourth in all-time hits at RMU (186). Her multi-RBI outing was her fifth of the season and the 20th of her career.
Gabelt posted a team-high three hits in the nightcap, tying the game high. It was her third three-hit outing of the season and the fifth of her career.
Hackett's double against SFU was her ninth of 2016 and the 21st of her career.
The Colonials will play host LIU Brooklyn at Noon Saturday.
