New Britain, Conn. – Olivia Lorusso hit three home runs and Kaitlin Ellzy earned two victories as the Robert Morris University softball team took two games from Central Connecticut in the Northeast Conference opener for the Colonials Sunday afternoon in New Britain, Conn. The Colonials improve to 8-21 and stand 2-0 in the NEC. The Blue Devils slip to 4-14 and 0-2 in league games.
 
Lorusso went 3-for-5 with three home runs and five runs batted in on the day. Abrielle McCartney also had three hits as she collected a trio of singles in six at bats. Stacey Capp had two hits, including a double.
 
In the circle, Ellzy threw 9.0 innings to earn both victories. She scattered seven hits and did not give up an earned run.
 
In the opener, the Colonials strung together three consecutive hits with two outs to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The first of those two runs came on a bomb to left center by Lorusso. McCartney then singled and would come in to score when reigning NEC Rookie of the Week Natalie Higgins stroked a double to right center.
 
In the third, RMU loaded the bases on a single by Capp, a Lorusso walk and a McCartney single. Higgins then scored Capp as she ground into a fielder's choice that put RMU on top, 3-0. Ellzy made the score stand and would only give up a single unearned run in the seventh inning.
 
Game two started in much the same way as the opener – a Lorusso bomb. The Canon-MacMillan graduate launched a cannonball to center field, this one plating Jordan Gurganus who reached on an error to start the game. The situation was the same when Lorusso came up in the third – one out with Gurganus on base – and the result was identical. Lorusso sent a two-run shot to centerfield that scored two more runs and the Colonials were on top, 4-0, through three innings.
 
Lorusso's second base-clearing blast of the game, and third of the day, gave her nine for the season. That total leaves her two shy of the RMU single season mark of 11 set by Kali Byers in 2003.
 
The Blue Devils would get on the board in the fifth inning when Alexis Debrosse doubled in one run.  She would later come home via a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kerri Dadalski. The CCSU comeback effort continued in the sixth inning. Back-to-back hits by Kaitlin Paterson and Kaleigh Edwards brought the hosts to within one run, 4-3. Ellzy came in for Laura Coulter who scattered five hits and struck out three over the first five innings. A groundout allowed another run to score, tying the game at four after six innings.
 
Taylor Bartlow singled and advanced to second to start the top of the seventh inning. Gurganus then singled through the left side, moving Bartlow to third where she would be able to score when Capp picked up the gamewinning RBI with a fielder's choice.
 
The Colonials continue league play Monday, April 3, when they travel to Smithfield, R.I., for a doubleheader against the Bryant Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m.