WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The Arcadia University softball program swept its final MAC Freedom doubleheader of the regular season Tuesday afternoon at Lycoming, defeating the Warriors in five innings in the opener, 9-0, before holding on for a 3-2 win in the nightcap.
Kylee Schwind turned in a complete-game, two-hit shutout in game one to pick up her eighth win in the circle before
Shannon Shea and
Megan Sooy posted multi-hit efforts in the finale to complete the sweep.
ARCADIA 9, LYCOMING 0 (FINAL/5)
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights went to work right away offensively to plate six runs on six hits in the top of the first while sending 12 hitters to the plate.
Alex DeStefano had two of her three hits come in the opening frame - including an RBI single to plate the sixth run of the inning - while
Alexa Vardiman,
Morgan Tripodi, and
Effie Jamanis also drove in a run each in six-run first.
-Schwind was dominant from the start in the circle, turning away the first six batters she faced in order. The Warriors were able to get their first runner in scoring position in the bottom of the third before a two-out single to center looked like it would break up the shutout bid, but DeStefano's throw to
Alexis Burge at the plate was right on target to cut the runner down and preserve the seven-run lead.
-Arcadia tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth via a Burge sac fly and a Warrior infield error before Schwind retired the final five batters she faced to cap off the 9-0 victory.
KNIGHTS OFFENSIVE LEADERS
-DeStefano: 3-3, 2 R, RBI, SB
-Vardiman: 2-4, RBI
-Pscolka: 2-3, 2B, RBI
KNIGHTS PITCHING LEADERS
-Schwind: W (8-4), 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K
ARCADIA 3, LYCOMING 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Arcadia broke through with the game's first run in the top of the second as
Allison LaRochelle legged out a two-out infield hit to plate Sooy from third who led off the inning with a single to left. Sooy then continued the two-out theme the very next inning as
Shannon Shea opened the frame with a single to right before moving up to third on a base hit from Burge. The Knights' third baseman followed with a single right back through the middle to extend the early lead to two.
-Lycoming answered in the bottom of the third with a two-out run of their own to cut the deficit in half, but the Knights answered the call in the top of the fourth. Tripodi roped a two-out triple to right and Shea immediately plated her with a single to center - the Knights's third two-out run of the game - to jump out in front, 3-1.
-The Warriors made it a one-run game yet again with a run-scoring double in the home half of the fourth, but
Juliana Presto stranded the tying run at third later that inning to keep the Knights out in front. After holding a 3-2 advantage for the next two innings, Lycoming made one last rally in the bottom of the seventh by getting the tying run to second and the winning run at first with one out, but Schwind came on to induce a pair of foul-outs to complete the sweep and pick up her first save of the season.
KNIGHTS OFFENSIVE LEADERS
-Shea: 3-3, R, RBI, SB
-Tripodi: 1-3, 3B, R
-Sooy: 2-4, RBI
KNIGHTS PITCHING LEADERS
-Presto: W (6-3), 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 8 K
-Schwind: SV (1)
UP NEXT
Arcadia (17-7, 14-6 MAC Freedom) travels to Messiah Saturday for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
