DETROIT (3/13/2021) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team once again began the day with a win, but couldn't get the sweep as the Titans split their season-opening series at Robert Morris on Saturday. The Titans won the first game, 2-1, before falling in the nightcap, 5-3.

Senior pitcher Liz Murphy went the distance again in the first game allowing just six hits and a walk, while striking out five to move to 2-0 on the year. 

Sophomore Jordyn Chapman had three hits on the day, while senior Alyssa Lang had two hits with an RBI. Freshman Maddy Heilner drove in a pair of runs and sophomores Renee Trotman and Reese Ruhlman each had a RBI.

Detroit Mercy (2-2, 2-2 HL) will be back in action next week, March 19-20, as the Titans host Youngstown State in a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday with first pitch set for Noon each day. 

Game One
Murphy was back in the circle as she did not allow a run through the first three innings.

In the fourth, the Titans got on the board as Trotman started the frame with a walk and a single by Chapman put runners on first and second. A double steal would have runners on second and third and then sophomore Allison Smith singled to center for a 1-0 lead.

Robert Morris (7-5, 2-2 HL) was able to knot it at 1-1 in the bottom half with a home run, but that was the only run Murphy allowed.

In the fifth, back-to-back one-out walks by Trotman and Ruhlman was followed by a single from Chapman and the Titans had the bases loaded. Lang then singled to left to drive in what turned out to be the game-winning run. 

Murphy worked around a one-out double in the fifth and retired the side in the sixth. In the seventh, she struck out the first batter before allowing a hit. She then induced a game-ending double play on a line-out right back to her and she threw to first for the third out.

Game Two
Sophomore Olivia Warrington tossed six innings in the second game, allowing five runs, two earned, on six hits with four strikeouts.

The Titans had runners on first and second in the top of the first, but didn't score and that proved to be costly as RMU was able to plate one in the bottom half.

Detroit Mercy tied it up in the second as Heilner came up with runners on first and second and two outs and she singled in a run. The Colonials would add two more runs in the bottom half for a 3-1 lead and two more in the third for a 5-1 advantage.

In the fifth, junior McKenna Tanguay led off the inning with a bunt single and junior Piper Roth followed with a single putting runners on first and second. Ruhlman then walked to fill the bases full of Titans and Trotman was able to work a walk to force in a run to make it 5-2.

The Titans added another run in the seventh as Ruhlman homered, but Detroit Mercy couldn't get any closer.