WEEHAWKEN, N.J. - The Arcadia University softball team battled back after a hard-fought, 2-1 loss in extra innings in the first game of the best-of-three MAC Freedom Semifinals at second-seeded Stevens Saturday to force a decisive game three with a 7-5 win in game two. The Knights took an early lead in game two thanks to a first inning, three-run home run off the bat of Megan Sooy, and after the Ducks battled back to tie the game at four in the fourth, Brooke Ward's go-ahead sacrifice fly paired with Juliana Presto's dominant outing in relief kept Arcadia's season alive with game three set for Sunday at 1 p.m. from Blankley Field.

#3 ARCADIA 1, #2 STEVENS 2 (FINAL/8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights put the pressure on Stevens' Jessie Masur early by loading the bases with two outs via an Alexis Burge walk and singles from Megan Sooy and Alexa Vardiman. Kayla Pscolka followed with a four-pitch walk to plate Burge with the first run of the game to give the Knights an early advantage.

-Kylee Schwind protected the one-run lead by turning away the Ducks in order in the second before stranding runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings. However, Stevens was able to draw even at one with a two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the fifth.

-Schwind and Masur continued to trade scoreless innings in the circle as neither side was able to push across the go-ahead run in the late innings. Stevens mounted a rally in the last of the seventh when a one-out walk was sacrificed into scoring position, but Juliana Presto induced an inning-ending foul out to send the game to extra innings.

-After the Knights were retired in order in the top of the eighth, Samantha Schattin reached on an infield single to lead off the home half of the inning before moving up to second on a bunt. After Presto struck out the following batter for the second out of the inning, Abigail Circelli came through with a walk-off single back through the middle to lift Stevens to the 2-1 win in extras.

KNIGHTS OFFENSIVE LEADERS
-Sooy/Vardiman/Marchesani: 1-3 each

KNIGHTS PITCHING LEADERS
-Schwind: 6.1 IP, 3 H, R, 2 K

ARCADIA 7, STEVENS 5
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights jumped out to an early three-run lead in the top of the first via Megan Sooy's three-run home run - her sixth of the season. Alex DeStefano led off the game with a single back through the middle before Madi Costigan was hit by a pitch ahead of Sooy's lined shot to left-center on the first pitch she saw.

-Arcadia added to its lead in the top of the third when Burge drew a one-out walk and moved up to second on a groundout. Alexa Vardiman followed with a big two-out hit, lining a double to the gap in left-center to plate Burge.

-Brenna Dolan allowed only one run through her first three innings while striking out one as she kept the Knights out in front with the game entering the middle innings. The Ducks' lineup came to life in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on three hits to tie the game at four, forcing both sides to go to the bullpen for their top arms in Presto and Masur.

-The Knights broke through with the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth when pinch hitter Morgan Tripodi drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Morgan Marchesani's sacrifice bunt. Effie Jamanis followed with a single through the left side before Brooke Ward delivered the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center, putting Arcadia ahead, 5-4. 

-Presto shut down Stevens' offense when the Knights needed it most, striking out four in the fifth and sixth while not allowing a runner to reach base. The Knights added a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the top of the seventh as Sooy delivered an RBI double to right-center before Pscolka came through with a two-out, two-strike single to left-center to plate Isabella O'Hare.

-Stevens threatened in the bottom of the seventh by plating a two-out run on an error to bring the tying run to the plate with one out, but Vardiman made the defensive play of the day by snagging a hard-hit liner off the bat of Schoellig and doubling up the runner at second to end the game and force a decisive game three, 7-5.

KNIGHTS OFFENSIVE LEADERS
-Sooy: 3-4, 3-Run HR (6), 2B, 4 RBI
-Vardiman/Pscolka: Hit, RBI each

KNIGHTS PITCHING LEADERS
-Presto: W (8-5), 4 IP, 2 H, R (0 ER), 7 K