GLENSIDE, Pa. - The Arcadia University softball program made its long-awaited return to the diamond Saturday afternoon at Blankley Field and did so in a big way, sweeping DeSales in the opening twinbill by finals of 3-2 and 9-2. Alex Destefano delivered the Knights' first win of the 2021 season with a two-out, two-strike, walkoff double before Alexis Burge led an offensive barrage in game two with her first home run of the season and a two-run double in the nightcap.

Kylee Schwind, Juliana Presto, and Brenna Dolan combined to allow only four runs in 14 innings in the circle on opening day, as Presto shined in relief to pick up her first collegiate victory while striking out six in three innings of work.

ARCADIA 3, DESALES 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
-DeSales was first on the board in Saturday's front end of the doubleheader as the Bulldogs plated a two-out run. Starting pitcher Kylee Schwind settled in nicely from there, setting down six of the next seven batters she faced en route to five innings of two-run ball.

-The Knights battled back to even the score at one in the home half of the third when Jackie Zwicker drew a leadoff walk before moving all the way up to third on a sac bunt from Effie Jamanis. Destefano wasted no time plating the run, sending a liner down the left field line for extra bases to tie the game at one.

-After the Bulldogs plated the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout in the fifth, the Knights answered right back in the bottom half as another perfectly placed Effie Jamanis bunt allowed pinch runner Shannon Shea to score from third. Juliana Presto entered the circle for her collegiate debut in the sixth and made an immediate impact, striking out the side in the sixth before turning away the Bulldogs in order in the seventh.

-Zwicker reached with one out in the last of the seventh and later stole second to put herself in scoring position for Destefano with two away. With two strikes, two outs, and the winning run at second, the senior delivered in a big way by sending the offering just inside the left field line to plate Zwicker and deliver the Knights a walk-off win.

KNIGHT LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Destefano: 3-4, 2 RBI, SB
-Zwicker: 1-2, BB, 2R

KNIGHT LEADERS IN THE CIRCLE
-Schwind: 5 IP, 2 ER, 2K
-Presto: W (1-0), 2 IP, 0 H, 4K

ARCADIA 9, DESALES 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights reversed course from the opener and struck for three runs in the first inning to grab an early advantage. Base hits from Destefano and Madi Costigan opened the frame before Megan Sooy plated the first run with a sac fly followed by consecutive extra-base hits off the bats of Xanthe Jamanis and Kayla Pscolka plated two more before the frame came to a close.

-Brenna Dolan was locked in from the beginning of her first start of the season, striking out four in her first three innings while limiting DeSales to just one run with a little help from her defense as Destefano and Isabella O'Hare made diving plays the outfield behind her. Dolan ultimately notched the victory with six strong innings of two-run ball.

-Alexis Burge led off the bottom of the third in a big way, lining a leadoff homer just inside the right field foul pole to bring the Knights back up to a three-run lead. Burge went on to plate two more in the fourth with an opposite field double to left, extending the Arcadia to lead to six at 7-1.

-Arcadia capped off the doubleheader sweep with two more runs in the sixth as Morgan Tripodi lined a triple to the base of the wall in center to score O'Hare before an error allowed the ninth run to cross the plate.

KNIGHT LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Burge: 2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
-X. Jamanis: 1-3, 2B, R
-Pscolka: 2-2, 3B, RBI

KNIGHT LEADERS IN THE CIRCLE
-Dolan (W, 1-0), 6 IP, 5H, 2R, 6K
-Presto: IP, 2K

UP NEXT
Arcadia (2-0) hosts Lycoming Sunday to round out its first weekend of the season. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.