Kaitlin O'Sullivan	Marisa Ciriello	Shannon Stricker
Christine Kiefer	Alison Kucharski	Caitlin McHenry

Box score (game one)
Box score (game two)

Freshman first baseman Kaitlin O'Sullivan (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) ripped a game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a rally from a four-run deficit to give The University of Scranton softball team a 9-8 victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader against King's on Tuesday at the Jessup Youth Sports Complex. 

King's (15-7) won the opener, 21-9, behind three home runs. But Scranton (5-12) overcame an 8-4 deficit in the second game to snap a five-game losing streak.

Scranton scored twice with two outs in the seventh, the first coming when freshman third baseman Marisa Ciriello (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) singled on a ball that deflected off the pitcher, driving home pinch runner Maria Gentile (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) to tie the game. O'Sullivan then drove a pitch the opposite way to right field just over the outstretched glove of the Monarchs' right fielder to plate freshman Angelica Titor (Bellerose Village, N.Y./Floral Park Village) with the winning run. 

The Royals jumped out to a 4-1 lead after two innings on a two-run homer in the first inning by freshman shortstop Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan) and a two-run homer in the second by freshman left fielder Christine Kiefer (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh). But King's answered with four runs in the third and three in the fourth for an 8-4 lead.

Ciriello got Scranton started on the comeback trail when she blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 8-6. The Royals added a run in the sixth to set up the seventh inning heroics. Ciriello, Titor, O'Sullivan and Kiefer each had two hits in the victory. 

Sophomore right-hander Alison Kucharski (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon) picked up the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. She allowed two hits and a walk while striking out one.

In the opener, King's scored seven times in the first, five in the second and seven more in the fourth to win going away. Scranton received a single, double, RBI and run scored from senior right fielder Caitlin McHenry (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) and two hits, two RBIs and a run from O'Sullivan. Stricker also added a hit, two RBIs and a run in the loss. 

Scranton returns to action on Saturday, April 12, when the Royals host Juniata in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at 1 p.m. at the Jessup Youth Sports Complex.

--ROYALS--