Spartanburg, S.C. – The
Robert Morris University softball team lost to North Carolina Central and USC Upstate Sunday at the Wings Etc. Classic in Spartanburg Sunday afternoon. The Colonials nearly captured a come-from-behind victory in their opener against NC Central, but fell short 5-3. RMU then dropped a five-inning, 8-0 decision to the host Spartans to finish their Sunday play.
// GAME 1 // VS. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL // L, 5-6 //
// Rounding the Bases
The Colonials jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when
Abrielle McCartney crushed a two-run homer to right center.
Brittney Seibert scored on McCartney's first dinger of the season.
The Eagles responded immediately with a pair of their own two-run shots in the top of the fourth. Olivia Daniel pounced on the first pitch she saw to tie the game. Aleyah Evans then put NC Central ahead with a blast to left field. NC Central stretched their lead on a Kaitlyn Macon single before a defensive miscue by the Colonials allowed the Eagles to take a 6-2 lead.
RMU attempted to mount a comeback when McCartney doubled home
Taryn Miller.
Natalie Higgins followed with a homer to left field, bringing the Colonials to within one run, 6-5.
// The Batter's Box
The top three batters in the Robert Morris lineup accounted for seven of the team's eight hits and all five RBIs. Higgins collected three hits in four plate appearances, including her second homer of the season in the seventh inning. McCartney continued her torrid start to the season, collecting a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in three runs. She collected her first dinger and had a double as well.
Briana Bunner was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles.
Taryn Miller, in a pinch-hitting appearance, accounted for the only other hit.
// Inside the Circle
Laura Coulter went the distance for the Colonials but fell to 0-2 on the season with the result. The senior posted a season-high five strikeouts. She allowed five hits and walked just two batters while being charged with five earned runs. Kiara Hurley earned her second win of the year for the Eagles. Hurley spaced out eight hits and gave up four earned runs. She whiffed four and needed just 85 pitches to get the complete game victory.
// GAME 2 // AT USC UPSTATE // L, 0-8 (5) //
// Inside the Circle
Christina Biggerstaff improved to 5-0 on the year and dropped her earned run average to 0.76 for the season as she kept the Colonials hitless in a five-inning victory. Biggerstaff did most of the work on her own, striking out 11 of the 15 batters she faced while inducing a pair of groundouts and a pair of flyouts. She did walk two batters.
Dana Vatakis took the loss for the Colonials as she was touched up for six earned runs and nine hits in four innings of work. She registered a pair of strikeouts and threw 49 strikes on 70 pitches. Kaitlyn Ellzy was charged with one earned run and two hits in a 1/3 inning relief appearance.
// The Batter's Box
The Colonials were held hitless by one of the Big South Conference's top pitchers. For the host Spartans, Alyssa Oakes collected three hits in three at-bats. The catcher had a double, a homer and four runs batted in from the clean-up spot. Kristen Wright, Brittany Case, Madison Lanoux and Alicia Dorgan each had two hits.
// Rounding the Bases
Oakes singled in one run and then came home to score on a throwing error to stake USC Upstate to a 2-0 first inning lead. Oakes continued to provide the offense in the third when she blasted an 0-2 pitch over the center field wall to push the margin to 5-0. A double by Lanoux pushed home two runs and a Dorgan single made it 8-0, inducing the mercy rule in the fifth.
// On Deck
Robert Morris remains in Spartanburg for a doubleheader against the host Spartans on Monday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.
