Moon Township, Pa. – After playing 33 games on the road or at neutral sites, the Robert Morris University softball team opened its home schedule by splitting a set with Northeast Conference opponent LIU Brooklyn at North Athletic Complex Sunday afternoon. The Colonials won the first game, 3-1, before suffering an 8-2 setback in the nightcap.
 
Natalie Higgins led the day offensively for RMU. The freshman collected four hits, including her second home run of the season. Stacey Capp collected three hits while four other players had two hits on a day that the Colonials collected 16 as a team.
 
In game one, Kaitlin Ellzy worked her way out of trouble early to hold on for her fourth win in her last five appearances. She went the distance, allowing just five hits and one earned run in her fourth complete game effort of the season.
 
LIU Brooklyn jumped on top in the first when Nereyda Gutierrez laced a double down the right field line to drive in Angie Rizzi who had reached on a walk with one out. Ellzy would settle down after a walk to the next batter, leaving a pair of runners stranded. Again the sophomore righty would pitch herself out of trouble in the second, stranding three with a whiff.
 
The Colonials tied the game in the bottom of the second when Higgins laced a 1-2 pitch to left field, her second homer of the season tying the game. Briana Bunner followed up with a single and would score when Taylor Bartlow jumped on a 0-2 pitch. Bartlow's shot down the third base line allowed RMU to take its first lead of the game.
 
Bunner would get in the middle of things in the third inning as well. The freshman hit a sharp single to center, then would motor in to score as Abrielle McCartney doubled down the left field line.
 
Erynn Sobieski took the loss for the Blackbirds and falls to 9-7. She allowed six hits and struck out four. All three runs charged to her were earned.
 
In game two, singles by Kristen Pray and Higgins along with a hit by pitch to Taryn Miller loaded the bases for RMU in the second inning. Gurganus slapped a ball to third, forcing an off-target throw from Kylie Mulholland that allowed Bunner – who had reached on a fielder's choice –  to come home from third for the game's first run.
 
That's where the score would remain until the top of the fourth. Four singles from the first five Blackbirds batters of the inning allowed them to tie the score with one out when Schae Dickson drove in Victoria Zamora. Laura Coulter relieved Madison Riggle at that point, but Mulholland launched a 1-1 pitch well over the left field fence with bases loaded to stake LIU Brooklyn to a 5-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Pray singled to lead off the inning and came in to score when Capp roped a double to left center, cutting the margin to 5-2. That's as close as the Colonials would get, however. LIU Brooklyn strung together four hits to add three more runs to their lead in the top of the seventh and take game two, 8-2.
 
Coulter threw three innings of relief and was charged with three runs on four hits. Ellzy entered in the seventh and surrendered one run on two hits. Tallie Woodson allowed just one earned run and scattered 10 hits to improve to 6-12 this season.
 
Robert Morris travels to Saint Francis University for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader Friday, April 14.