Jacqueline DeSarro	Christine Kiefer
Angelica Titor	Jamie Hampsey

CLERMONT, Fla. - In their final game of a five-day trip in Florida, the University of Scranton softball team rolled past Oberlin, 13-6, on Thursday afternoon at Hancock Park. The Royals dropped their first game of the day to Buffalo State, 8-7.

With the split, Scranton is now 5-5 on the season.

Scranton 13, Oberlin 6 (Box Score)

In their final game of the Spring Break trip, Scranton smacked 15 hits, coming behind from an early deficit to storm their way past Oberlin by seven runs.

Scranton batted first in the contest and got off to a good start, plating two runs to take an early 2-0 lead. Junior Kaitlin O'Sullivan (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had an RBI single in the frame that scored junior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan), while junior Jacqueline DeSarro (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) scored the game's second run on a Oberlin error.

But, Oberlin scored three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead after one. In the top of the second, Scranton got a run back, as junior Christine Kiefer (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) knocked home junior Katherine Kunak (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) on an RBI sacrifice fly, tying the game up at 3-3.

However, Oberlin scored three more runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 6-3 lead. After a scoreless third inning by both teams, Scranton effectively put the game away in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, scoring four runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth to take an insurmountable 12-6 lead.

In the fourth, Scranton scored their first run on a Kiefer RBI sacrifice fly that scored junior Jenna Snyder (Thornwood, NY / Westlake) who led the inning off with a double. With two away, the Royals scored three runs to take the lead, as Stricker had an RBI single and DeSarro smacked an RBI double, giving Scranton a 7-6 lead.

In the fifth, the Royals once again did their damage with two away, scoring all five runs in the inning with two outs. Kiefer and Stricker posted RBI singles during the two-out rally, while junior Angelica Titor (Bellerose Village, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) had a two-RBI double.

After adding another run in the sixth to go up seven, it was academic for the Royals and senior pitcher Molly Hampsey (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) who earned the win in relief, tossing five and two-thirds of shutout softball, allowing just three hits, while striking out four to go to 2-3 on the year.

At the plate in the win, DeSarro led the way going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Kiefer went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, Snyder was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and Titor was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored to round out the top offensive performers for Scranton in the win.

Buffalo State 8, Scranton 7 (Box Score)

In their first game of the afternoon, the Royals dropped a heartbreaker to Buffalo State, as a home run by the Bengals in the top of the seventh inning proved to be the difference in the ballgame.

After a scoreless one and half innings, Scranton broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second, as sophomore Shanna Schaeffer (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) scored on a Buffalo State error, giving the Royals an early 1-0 lead.

But, Buffalo State attacked back in the a big way in the top of the third inning, scoring five runs to take a 5-1 lead. However, that lead was short lived, as Scranton scored four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, tying the game back up at 5-5.

In that third inning for Scranton, Stricker got the scoring started by coming home on another Buffalo State error, which was followed by DeSarro coming home on a fielder's choice RBI by Schaeffer (who reached on an error) to make the score 5-3.

Scranton's next run was scored on another mistake by Buffalo State, as a wild pitch enabled junior Marisa Ciriello (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) to score from third base, making it a 5-4 game. Next up was Titor and she proceeded to knock home Schaeffer on an RBI sacrifice fly, tying the score at 5-5 after three.

After scoreless fourth and fifth innings of play, Buffalo State took the lead back in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs to go up 7-5 on Scranton.

But, once again, the Royals fought back, scoring two runs of their own to tie the game back up at 7-7.

With two outs and runners on second and third, O'Sullivan came through for Scranton, smacking a two-RBI single that scored Stricker and Kiefer to tie the game back up.

However, the lead was short lived, as Buffalo State took the lead back in the top of the seventh with the eventual game-winning solo home run. Scranton attempted to rally in the bottom of the inning, as Schaeffer hit a one out double, but she was stranded on second base to end the ballgame.

Overall, three Scranton players had multiple hits in the loss: Stricker, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Ciriello, who was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Schaeffer, who was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

In the circle, Hampsey took the loss in a relief appearance.

Scranton returns to action on Saturday, as they host Moravian to open Landmark Conference play for the 2016 season at Jessup Youth Sports Complex. The doubleheader gets underway at 1 p.m.

--ROYALS--