vs. RUTGERS 6-9 Overall March 1 // 3:00 p.m. March 3 // Noon Series // 5-3 Home // 0-0 Away // 3-1 Neutral // 2-2 Streak // W1 Last Meeting // W, 5-4; 3.12.16 (N)  Last RMU Win // W, 5-4; 3.12.16 (N)		at LIBERTY 8-6 Overall March 1 // 7:00 p.m. Series // 1-0 Home // 0-0 Away // 0-0 Neutral // 1-0 Streak // W1 Last Meeting // W, 5-4; 2.15.02 (N) Last RMU Win // W, 5-4; 2.15.02 (N)
	vs. QUINNIPIAC 2-3 Overall March 2 // 1:00 p.m. Series // 22-10 Home // 11-4 Away // 10-6 Neutral // 1-0 Streak // W2 Last Meeting // W, 8-6; 5.4.13 (H) Last RMU Win // W, 8-6; 5.4.13 (H)		vs. CLEVELAND STATE 1-7 Overall March 2 // 7:00 p.m. Series // 14-23 Home // 8-9 Away // 4-12 Neutral // 2-2 Streak // L3 Last Meeting // L, 8-9; 2.10.18 (A)  Last RMU Win // W, 3-1 (8); 2.22.14

// NOW BATTING
The Robert Morris University softball team travels to Lynchburg, Va., to play five games over three days at the Liberty Softball Classic from March 1-3. The Colonials (2-6) open play on Friday against Rutgers and Liberty. Contests against former Northeast Conference-foe Quinnipiac and then Cleveland State follow on Saturday before RMU wraps up the weekend with a rematch vs. the Scarlet Knights.
 
// AROUND THE HORN
> Senior Abrielle McCartney had a five-game hit streak to open the season
> McCartney, an All-NEC First Team pick in 2017, led the squad in homers (3) and RBIs (26) in 2018
> Three of the Colonials six home runs have come with two strikes — Shiderly (1-2 count), Clark (2-2), Miller (1-2)
> Taryn Miller, hitting .286 (4-15) in 2019, is 2-for-2 in pinch hitting appearances
> Getting ahead, staying ahead:
   > 2-0 when scoring first
   > 2-0 when scoring in the first inning
   > Lost once when holding the lead at the end of any inning
> The Colonials are 8-for-11 advancing runners from third with less than two outs
> RMU scored 19 runs in its opening four games, its best output in a four-game start since scoring 20 in 2011
> Colonials pitchers have a 3.36 ERA in relief appearances (5.28 in starts)
> The Colonials return 11 players from their 2018 team, including every player who threw a pitch for the team
> RMU added seven freshmen to its 2019 roster, two pitchers and five position players
> Sophomore Kaitlyn Clark was an All-Northeast Conference First Team pick as a utility player last season
> Clark hit .274 last season, playing 36 games and starting 25 at five different positions
> Five of the team's top six hitters return to the squad for 2019
> The team's top hitter, Natalie Higgins, is back after hitting .361 and leading the team in slugging percentage (.541)
> Higgins tied the team record for doubles last season with 14
> Freshman Kristýna Malá played for the Czech National Team in 2018
> The Colonials have won four of the last eight NEC regular-season titles
> RMU had the fifth-highest grade point average, 3.598, in NCAA Division I last season and claimed the NEC Team GPA Award
> Robert Morris was picked ninth in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
 
// ON DECK
Robert Morris heads west for six games in (hopefully) sunny southern California as they take part in the Louisville Slugger Invitational at UCLA and Long Beach State. The Colonials play single games on March 6 and March 9 with doubleheaders slated for the two dates in between. A 10:00 p.m. Eastern game at #2 UCLA on Friday, March 8, highlights the western trip.