GLENSIDE, Pa., Tuesday, April 19, 2011-- Determined to play their Commonwealth Conference doubleheader, Arcadia's Softball team hosted visiting Lycoming College three days following their original meeting date that was postponed due to Saturday's rain. Tuesday brought more rain, but on this day, the winds were calm and the bats came out pounding--for Arcadia that is--with a convincing 10-2 win in the opening game and a one-run win in the nightcap after being two runs down in the fifth. The team also honored their three graduating seniors, Ashley McCarthy, Virginia Buechel and pitcher Kellie Reese, who will miss the remainder of her senior year due to an injury. 

The two teams split a pair of non-conference games earlier this season in Myrtle Beach but today's game had playoff implications as the Warriors entered with a  3-3 mark against league opponents while the Knights entered at 4-4. With today's sweep, Arcadia takes over third place in the league standings with two final series to play, a pair against fourth place Widener (4-4) and a meeting at league leader Lebanon Valley (8-2) in the regular season closer. 

In today's opener, the Warriors went up 2-0 in the top of the first. Arcadia responded in the bottom of the second with their most productive inning of the day, a five run frame following two outs. First-year catcher Leanda Helms drilled a two-run double to left field, scoring senior Virginia Buechel and sophomore Marissa Perez, tying the game at two-all. Senior Ashley McCarthy got in on the action with an RBI single to left field, scoring Helms to put the Knights on top 3-2. Junior Lindsey Henchinski brought in McCarthy on a double to center and picked up the Knight's fifth run when she came home off an RBI single to center from sophomore Brandee Zablotsky. Helms knocked out her third home run ball of the season in the fifth inning to make it 6-2 Knights. Sophomore Corrin Showalter cranked a two-run double to left center in the fifth inning for an 8-2 Arcadia advantage. Showalter scored on a single to right center from McCarthy later in the inning, now a 9-2 Knight's lead. Game one starter Kelsey Roberts '12 did not allow the Warriors much to work with, tossing a three-hitter with three strikeouts. Roberts got great defensive support, including a shortstop-clinic put on by Henchinski who made a highlight reel diving catch and tagged the runner at second for the second out of the sixth inning. Roberts would fan the final batter and Arcadia was able to tack on one more score in the sixth when first-year Jess Wood connected for a double to right, allowing Zablotsky to cross home plate for the nine-run win, 10-2. 

Game two was not so close, as the Warriors again jumped out to a 2-0 lead, answered by the Knights in the bottom of the first. Henchinski doubled to lead off the frame and was brought in by Zablotsky on an RBI single to left. Lycoming scored twice in the second and homered in the third before Arcadia would strike for a two in the bottom of the inning. Junior Erin Wojcieszyn singled to left to lead off the third, and scored on a double to left from Zablotsky. A sac fly from Buechel followed bringing in Wojcieszyn with Zablotsky scoring, unearned on an error at short from Lycoming. With Arcadia down 4-3, the fourth inning came and went for both sides with no difference on the scoreboard. Game-two starter Wood would work a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fifth before helping the Knights made their comeback. With two outs down, Buechel was walked and advanced to third on a double from Wood. The first-year pitcher would score as part of a two-run game winning double to left center from Perez, putting the Knights in front for the first time in game two by a 5-4 margin. In the sixth, Wood retired after the first batter reached on a fielder's choice. Enter first-year Heather Buriak, carrying two saves on the season and looking for her third. Buriak forced a pop-up to Buechel at third who made a veteran play, making the quick throw to McCarthy at first to turn the double-play. Buriak would force another pop out allowing the Knights to escape the inning unscathed, still in front 5-4. Warrior pitcher Holly Lansberry got three Knights swinging on strike three in the sixth but Buriak came through in the clutch, with a 1-2-3 seventh and notched her third save of the season and securing the Knights sweep of Lycoming. 

Helms batted 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, including her third home run. Zablotsky went 4-for-7 with two RBI and two scored. Wood batted 3-for-6 with two scored and one RBI while Henchinski reeled off three doubles on 3-for-7 with one RBI and two scored to lead the Knight's offense.

Arcadia travels to Chester, Pa. for this Thursday's Commonwealth Conference doubleheader against the Pride of Widener University. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.