CSU/Robert Morris (Game One) Box Score

CSU/Robert Morris (Game Two) Box Score

Contact: Tim Ertle

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MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Despite pounding out 17 hits and pushing 14 runs across the plate, the Cleveland State softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to host Robert Morris on Wednesday (March 28). The Vikings dropped the first contest 7-5 before a comeback bid fell short in a 10-9 loss in the second game of the day.

The Vikings - 1-2 in Horizon League play - are now 8-23 overall while Robert Morris improves to 16-12.

Things started well for the Vikings in game one after the first batter of the game, Alicia Nichols, knocked a leadoff single into right field. The ball was misplayed by the right fielder and went all the way to the wall, allowing Nichols to use her speed to come around and score the first run of the game.

The Colonials struck for three runs in the home half of the second on three straight home runs given up by starting pitcher Sara Shields to start the inning.

Catcher Samantha Santillo clubbed a 1-0 pitch to left center to even the game at 1-1 and Cassie Show followed with a blast to right center. Third baseman Chelsea Siar took a three-two pitch over the fence in left center to grow the RMU lead to 3-1.

The Vikings came back with three runs in the top of the third after Brittany Bate walked and Brittani Newsome doubled to start the frame. 

After an infield groundout, Dara Toman put the ball and play and allowed Bate to score and Newsome to move over to third.

With two outs and her team trailing 3-2, Andrea Nagy - who entered the game hitting .382 (13-34) with runners in scoring position - doubled down the right field line to bring in Newsome.

Shields followed with a double down the left field line to plate Nagy and help her own cause.

The Colonials took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run rally. After a leadoff walk, right fielder Tess Apke hit the fourth RMU homer of the afternoon and put her team ahead 5-4.

A two-out double and a Sarah Capp single made it 6-4 in favor of the home team after four innings.

RMU tacked on a run in the sixth when Capp hit the fifth Colonial homer of the game, a solo shot to center field.

Toman doubled and scored to cut the deficit to 7-5 on Kelsi Reed's first hit of the season in the seventh, but the Vikings couldn't complete the comeback in game one.

Shields, who pitched the first four innings, was charged with the loss to fall to 6-6. She surrendered 12 hits and allowed six runs - all of which were earned. She walked a pair and had one strikeout. Reed allowed a run on three hits in two innings of relief.

Reed got the start in game two and her teammates got her the lead in the top of the first when Toman homered down the right field line.

The lead didn't last long as the Colonials got to Reed for four runs as part of a five-run first inning. Reed left the game after recording one out and took the loss to fall to 0-1.

Alex Radjen came in and allowed an earned run in the first and four more in the third before leaving the game with two outs in the third inning, giving way to Bate.

Down 9-1 entering the fourth inning, the Vikings tacked on a run when Nagy doubled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Shields sacrifice fly. That run came off of RMU pitcher Geena Badolato who replaced game two starter Nicole Sleith to start the top of the fourth.

RMU got a run back in the home half of the fourth to build the lead back to eight runs at 10-2.

Needing a run to keep the game going, the Vikings exploded for five runs in the fifth.

Salena Kauffman got things started with a single down the right field line and Afton Allred followed with her first home run of the season to make it a 10-4 game.

Newsome singled to right then Nichols had a bunt single. Toman brought both in on her 11th home run of the year - and second of the day - to make it a 10-7 game and knock Badolato from the game. Sleith re-entered and got the last two outs of the fifth after CSU had done its damage.

Bate retired the Colonials in order in both the fifth and sixth innings to keep her team in the game, and the Vikings almost did complete the comeback.

Toman drew a one-out walk in the seventh and after a foul out, Shields homered to right center to make it a 10-9 game. The Vikings couldn't bring the go-ahead run to the plate and the game ended on a fly out to right.

Badolato (4-5) was the winner for RMU in game one after allowing four earned runs in seven innings of work. Sleith (11-7) was credited with the win in game two after allowing three runs in 5.2 innings.

With hits in both games, Nichols and Shields each extended their hitting streaks to six games. The longest streak by a Viking this year is seven games, set by Nena Doran and Toman.

Nichols was 4-for-8 (.500) on the day, and Toman had a hit in half of her official at-bats (3-for-6) while smacking a double, two homers and driving in five. Shields was 2-for-5 with four RBI.

After the non-league contests today, Cleveland State will re-enter Horizon League play with a road series this weekend against Youngstown State (16-6-1, 2-1 HL). The Vikings and Penguins have a doubleheader at McCune Park that begins at 3:00 p.m. on Friday (March 30). The series will conclude with a 12:00 p.m. game on Saturday (March 31). All three games will be covered with free live stats, available here.