Los Angeles, Calif. – After getting rained out against host Long Beach State on Wednesday, the
Robert Morris University softball team finally got on the field Thursday in the Louisville Slugger Invitational. The Colonials dropped both of their Thursday contests, 1-0 to Brigham Young University and 6-1 to San Diego State.
// GAME ONE // VS. BYU // L, 0-1 //
// Rounding the Bases
BYU scored the game's only run in the top of the first inning. Ryle Jensen and Alyssa Podhurcak led off with back-to-back singles and would each advance on a wild pitch. Libby Sugg then lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Jensen.
// Inside the Circle
After allowing singles to the first two batters of the game, RMU starter
Dana Vatakis settled down and allowed just two hits the rest of the way. Just one Cougar batter advanced past second base over the final six innings as the Colonials rookie matched BYU starter Arissa Paulson nearly pitch-for-pitch. Vatakis scattered four hits and needed just 97 pitches for the complete game. She falls to 2-3 on the season. Paulson evened her season mark at 3-3 as she struck out nine and allowed just three hits.
// The Batter's Box
Jensen, who was the only player to cross home, had a pair of hits with a single and a double and reached base three times in four plate appearances. Pohurcak and Autumn Moffat had the other two hits, both singles.
Natalie Higgins was 2-of-3 for RMU, lacing a two-out double to left center in the sixth inning for the team's only extra base hit.
Abrielle McCartney had a third inning single.
// GAME TWO // VS. SAN DIEGO STATE // L, 1-6 //
// Rounding the Bases
The teams traded runs in the first inning, San Diego State scoring on sacrifice fly off the bat of Shelby Thompson. A leadoff walk to McCartney haunted the Aztecs when Higgins singled to center, driving in McCartney for the Colonials only run.
A fielding error in the top of the third allowed SDSU to pull off a double steal and then score another run on a ground out by Metcalfe. The Aztecs tacked on three in the seventh courtesy of four hits and an error. Singles by Thompson and Kelsey Munoz drove in two runs before Taylor Adams' sacrifice fly to center capped the scoring at 6-1.
// The Batter's Box
Thompson went 2-of-3 and drove in two runs for the Aztecs. San Diego State had 14 hits – all of them singles. Munoz, Adams and Maddi Ayers each had three hits.
Kaitlyn Clark had half of the Colonials four hits as she picked up singles in second and fourth innings. Higgins picked up an RBI on her first inning single while
Ashley Kent singled in the second frame.
// Inside the Circle
MJ James improved to 3-2 with the complete game effort. She allowed four hits and was tagged with one earned run while whiffing two.
Laura Coulter was the pitcher of record for RMU going four innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, just one earned.
Katie Gasvoda threw the final three innings and also allowed seven hits and three runs.
// ON DECK //
While the Colonials remain in Los Angeles for the Louisville Slugger Invitational, they'll switch venues and head to Easton Field on the campus of UCLA. RMU plays Ohio at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and then takes on the #2 Bruins in the nightcap.
