Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University softball team flexed its offensive muscle in a sweep of St. Bonaventure in the Colonials home opener at North Athletic Complex Wednesday afternoon. The Colonials (10-22) were one of just 11 Division I teams who had not yet played a home game and they unleashed the frustration of three rainouts with 7-6 and 10-2 wins over the Bonnies (8-21).
 
A Robert Morris offense that tallied 17 runs and hit .400 (22-55) on the day was led by rightfielder Briana Bunner. Bunner went 5-of-9 with five runs scored and four runs batted in. She went 4-for-5 in the second game of the doubleheader. Abrielle McCartney, Natalie Higgins and Kaitlyn Clark all hit .500 on the day. McCartney and Higgins were each 3-for-6 with two runs scored and a total of seven RMU players had two hits on the day.
 
Laura Coulter stole the spotlight in the circle. After earning her second save of the season in the opener with two innings of one hit ball, she went three innings in game two to pick up the win while allowing just one earned run. Kaitlin Ellzy threw four innings in the opener allowing just one earned run and three hits.
 
Katie Isenberg led off the second inning of game one with her first homer of the season, a shot that sailed over the left field fence. Kaitlyn Clark then doubled and eventually scored on a double steal with Kristen Pray who had reached with a bunt single. The Bonnies cut the lead in half in the fourth when a fielder's choice off the bat of Brooke Kane-Walker pushed Alexandra Deal in to score.
 
RMU answered immediately in their half of the fourth. RMU scratched together four runs on two hits, taking advantage of an error and four walks. McCartney pushed in two of those runs with a single through the left side. A sacrifice fly by Clark plated another and Isenberg was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to give the home team a 6-1 lead.
 
The Bonnies came back with five runs off of relief pitcher Madison Riggle, who was making her first appearance since March 18, with the help of a pair of errors and five hits. A double by McKenna Holtz drove in one as did singles by Grace Perechinsky and Brooke Kane-Walker. When it was all over, St. Bonaventure had tied the game, 6-6.
 
The deadlock was shortlived, however, as the Colonials regained the lead in the bottom of the frame. Bunner reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second on a bunt by Olivia Lorusso. Natalie Higgins then singled in the game-winning run, extending her hit streak to six games in the process. Coulter would hold St. Bonaventure scoreless over the final two innings to pick up her second save of the season.
 
St. Bonaventure took a 1-0 lead in game two when Perechinsky scored after leading off the second inning with a double. The Colonials strung together three consecutive singles in the third inning to load the bases and broke through when McCartney drew a bases loaded walk. Another walk to Miller put RMU on top, 2-1, before Isenberg singled through the left side to score two more.
 
Each team tallied single runs in the fourth inning before the Colonials put the game out of reach with four in the fifth inning to jump ahead, 9-2. The first three RMU batters reached safely to load the bases. Bunner made the Bonnies pay with a bases clearing double off the right center field fence. Bunner finished the game off in the sixth inning when her single plated Bridget Guiney and invoked the mercy rule.
 
Robert Morris hits the road and returns to Northeast Conference play when they travel to LIU Brooklyn for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 14.