Softball: Robert Morris sweeps Pitt in doubleheader

The Pitt softball team traveled to Moon Township on Thursday afternoon for a nonconference doubleheader against local rival Robert Morris.

But the Panthers (14-17, 3-3 Big East) seemed to have left their bats back in Oakland, dropping both contests to the Colonials (16-9) and scoring just one run in the process.

It was the first time in six years that Robert Morris swept Pitt in a doubleheader.

Robert Morris 4, Pitt 0

The Colonials shut out the Panthers in the opening game of the doubleheader, picking up the victory thanks to a three-run third inning and strong pitching performances by starter Geena Badolato and reliever Nicole Sleith.

Both teams left two runners on base in the first two innings before Robert Morris finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning.

The leadoff batter for the Colonials reached on a double, and then the Pitt defense committed an error that gave Robert Morris runners at the corners with no outs.

The Colonials took advantage of the mistake.

RMU first baseman Lauren Hackett doubled both runners home and later scored on a single by Haileigh Stocks to give the home team a 3-0 lead.

Pitt sophomore starting pitcher Alexa Larkin controlled the damage, conceding just one more run as she completed the rest of the game on the mound. Larkin finished with eight strikeouts in six innings pitched, but the four runs on 10 hits she allowed proved to be too much for a lackluster Pitt offense to overcome.

Both of the Panthers’ hits came from the same source, sophomore Savannah King, and they failed to capitalize on several good chances, stranding eight runners on base throughout the game.

Robert Morris 6, Pitt 1

The Panthers sent King to the mound for the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader hoping for a better result. But the Colonials struck early and held off a seventh-inning rally attempt to complete the rare sweep over their rivals from the city.

King struggled to settle in during the opening frame as Robert Morris grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to three hits and another Pitt error.

Once again, the Pitt offense struggled to produce scoring opportunities against quality Robert Morris pitching as the Panthers tallied just two hits in the first four frames.

After the Colonials extended their lead to 3-0, the Panthers finally forced a run across the plate in the top of the sixth inning when sophomore Carly Thea singled and later scored during a rundown involving freshman Tori Nirschl.

Robert Morris instantly responded, scoring three more runs to extend the lead to 6-1 and seemingly put the game beyond a possible Pitt comeback.

But the patient Panthers loaded the bases in the seventh inning after walks by junior Lauren Vinson, freshman Ashlee Sills and Nirschl. With senior slugger Holly Stevens standing on deck and representing the potential tying run, Kaila Balatgek flied out to deep center field to end the game, cementing the team’s fourth consecutive defeat.

The Pitt softball team returns home to host South Florida in an important Big East series this weekend at the Petersen Sports Complex. The teams play a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday and finish the three-game series with a game Sunday at the same time.