Colonials eliminate Bulldogs from tourney after two-run sixth puts them on top 3-1, Friday afternoon at LIU Field

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – After tying the game in the top of the fifth, the Bryant University softball team fell, 3-1, to No. 3 Robert Morris, after the Colonials put together two runs off three hits in the bottom of the sixth to eliminate the Bulldogs from the NEC Tournament on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn.

With one out and a 1-1 count, sophomore Olivia Lorusso cracked one over the fence in left center to put the Colonials (21-32) up 1-0 over the Bulldogs (12-36) in the bottom of the second. Bryant escaped the inning with only a one-run deficit after sophomore Rachel Monroe (Southwick, Mass.) corralled a line drive before throwing to senior Hayley Bottino (Canyon Country, Calif.) at first for the double play to end the inning.

With two outs in the top of the third, junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) connected on the first pitch, doubling to center field, but the Bulldogs come up empty in the inning as Colonials' shortstop Stacy Capp ran under senior Elle Madsen's (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) infield pop-up.

RMU's Kristen Pray lead off in the bottom of the third, muscling one to short, but Monroe was there to make the diving play before the ball hit the turf to record the first out of the inning. After back-to-back singles through the left side, the Bulldog defense held firm, coming away unscathed in the inning, while leaving two Colonials on base.

The Bulldogs rallied in the top of the fifth, scoring one run off one hit to tie the contest, 1-1, after Burger's two-out RBI double to center plated sophomore Robyn Ukegawa (Carlsbad, Calif.) from second. The Connecticut native went 2-for-2 with one RBI after doubling to centerfield twice in the game.

As it began to sprinkle in Brooklyn, the Colonials took the lead in the bottom of the sixth, as Lorusso singled up the middle, plating Haileigh Stocks from second to make it 2-1. Directly following, Abrielle McCartney fouled out to left field but Ashley Gerhart tagged up at third before running in for the 3-1 RMU advantage. In the bottom of the sixth, the Colonials scored two runs off three hits and left one runner on as Lorusso recorded her second hit of the day off three at-bats, finishing with one run and two RBI.

In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs were unable to muster a comeback as the Black and Gold went straight down the order, losing the NEC Tournament elimination game, 3-1, to RMU, on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn.

Madsen recorded the loss, finishing 7-13 on the year in the circle, after allowing the Colonials three runs off nine hits in 6.0 innings. Relief pitcher Kaitlin Ellzy earned the win, giving up no runs and no hits in 2.0 innings, as the RMU staff finished with four combined strikeouts.