Emmitsburg, Md. – The
Robert Morris University softball team opened the Northeast Conference portion of its schedule by splitting a twinbill at Mount St. Mary's Friday afternoon. The Colonials won the first game of the day, 5-2, before falling, 3-1, in game two running their season record to 8-22 overall and 1-1 in the league. The Mount moves to 9-17 and 1-3 in conference.
Natalie Higgins led the day at the plate going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in, a double and two sacrifice flies. She was 1-for-2 in the opener and 2-for-3 in game two as she drove in four of the team's six runs.
Olivia Lorusso led the team with four hits in seven at-bats. Two of those base knocks went for extra bases as she had a double and a triple and scored three times.
Kaitlin Ellzy did the yeoman's work in the circle, accounting for all but the final four outs on the day. In 11.2 innings, she allowed five earned runs and struck out four batters. With the decision in both games, she ran her record to 4-6 while posting a 3.00 earned run average for the doubleheader.
The day could not have started much better for the Colonials as
Briana Bunner sliced the fourth pitch of the game into right center for a leadoff double, the start of five consecutive RMU batters reaching base. Bunner scored on a sacrifice fly by Lorusso which was dropped and resulted in the Colonials third baseman advancing to second. Higgins then doubled in Lorusso before
Abrielle McCartney and
Taryn Miller both were hit by pitches to load the bases. With one out,
Taylor Bartlow capped the first inning rally with a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Higgins for a 3-0 lead.
The Colonials added single runs in the second and the seventh. In both cases, it was Higgins who lifted sacrifice flies to right field to push home the runs. The Mountaineers' first run came in the fourth inning on a bases loaded bunt that cut the margin to 4-1. Morgan Alisauckas provided the home team's other run with a solo homer in the seventh.
Ellzy pitched her way out of trouble all game, leaving six Mount baserunners stranded while scattering seven hits and walking just one batter. She struck out three for the complete game victory.
The Colonials jumped out to an early lead once gain in the second contests. This time, Lorusso doubled to left center and came in to score one batter later when Higgins drove a 1-0 pitch into center field to pick up the RBI. Unfortunately for RMU, it would be the last time on the day that they would push in a run.
The Mountaineers finally solved Ellzy in the fifth. A single off the bat of Lindsay Heinze drove in one run before Marian Ruf gave the Mount the lead with an RBI double. The Mountaineers tacked on an insurance run before the frame was over as a wild pitch by reliever
Laura Coulter allowed one last run to come home.
The Colonials dip their toes back into non-conference action on Wednesday, April 11, when they host St. Bonaventure in a 3:00 p.m. doubleheader at North Athletic Complex.
