BENSENVILLE, Ill. – Two close games on different ends of the scoring spectrum went the way of host Robert Morris on Saturday, as the Roosevelt softball team fell to its Loop neighbors by scores of 2-1 and 12-10 in a CCAC doubleheader at the Redmond Athletic Complex.
Three of Amanda Ferguson's team-leading four hits on the day were of the two-base variety, while Katherine Daley homered and Morgan Vogt hit a pair of doubles for the Lakers (14-24, 9-9 CCAC). Kristy Santora paced the Lakers in the RBI department with three.
The twinbill started with Roosevelt lighting the scoreboard first, tallying a run in the third on Santora's RBI groundout two at-bats after Vogt hit her first double of the day.
The Eagles (24-16, 11-7 CCAC) responded in the bottom of that same frame on a run-scoring sacrifice.
Vogt continued her fantastic season in the circle with a quality start, keeping Robert Morris' bats at bay for most of the game and stranding seven eagles on base.
The Eagles would break the tie in the bottom of the sixth. Vogt induced a pair of groundouts to start the inning, but Alli Lewis doubled and Kim Braasch singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Lakers went down in order in the top of the seventh to see their five-game winning streak snapped in narrow fashion.
The second game of the day started off with offensive fireworks emanating from both dugouts. Robert Morris took a 2-1 lead after one inning when Roosevelt exploded for five in the second. Daley hit a two-run blast to put Roosevelt ahead, Ferguson and Vogt hit RBI doubles and Kelly Crowley drove in the frame's final tally on a base hit to center that capped the Lakers' fifth inning of five-plus runs in the last five contests.
Robert Morris scored three times in its half of the second, and after Roosevelt went scoreless in the third, the Eagles turned a one-run deficit into a three-run lead by posting a four-spot on six hits in the third.
The hosts extended their lead to five with two in the fifth, but the Lakers were not done. Roosevelt put its first three batters aboard to load the bases for Ferguson, who drew a walk to drive in a run. Crowley hit a sac fly to drive in another run, and Santora hit a two-run double that closed the gap to a single run.
But Robert Morris tacked on an unearned insurance run in its half of the sixth, taking advantage of a two-out error at third.
The potent Laker offense was unable to string together another big inning in the top of the seventh.
Roosevelt's last three losses have come by two runs or fewer, including a pair of one-run defeats.
The Lakers will close out the regular season at home this Sunday against Cardinal Stritch. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 4 p.m. inside the Ballpark at Rosemont.
