Jenna Snyder	Shannon Stricker
Jamie Hampsey	Morgan Rentzheimer
Maria Gentile

JESSUP, Pa. - Junior Jenna Snyder (Thornwood, N.Y./Thornwood) had six combined RBI in two games, while fellow junior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan) went 4-for-4 in game two, leading the University of Scranton softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Juniata in Landmark Conference action on Saturday at the Jessup Youth Sports Complex, as the Royals took game one, 7-2, then captured game two, 5-2.

Before the game, the program honored its two seniors - Jamie Hampsey (Tunkhannock, Pa,/Tunkhannock) and Maria Gentile (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono).

With the sweep, Scranton improved to 12-10 overall and 2-4 in the Landmark, while Juniata fell to 11-16, 2-6 in the Landmark with the defeats.

Game One - Scranton 7, Juniata 2 | Box Score

The first game of the day was a close affair from the first pitch and wasn't put away by the Royals until one swing of the bat by Snyder in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Down 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, Scranton finally got on the board in the frame, scoring three runs to grab the lead for the first time on the day at 3-2.

In the inning, junior Angelica Titor (Bellerose Village, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) got the scoring started with an RBI double that scored sophomore Kaitlyn Brogan (Oreland, Pa./Saint Basil Academy), making it a 2-1 game. Two batters later and with runners on second and third and one out, Titor came home on a Juniata error, knotting the score up at 2-2 in the process.

With two outs, junior Marisa Ciriello (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) came up big, roping an RBI single through the right side of the infield that scored junior Jacqueline DeSarro (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic), giving Scranton the one-run edge.

The score would remain at 3-2 entering the sixth, where Snyder came up with a big hit. With the bases loaded and two away, Snyder cracked her second homerun of the season over the left field fence, as the grand slam gave the Royals an insurmountable five-run lead into the seventh inning.

From there, it was academic for starting pitcher Hampsey, as she nailed down her fifth victory of the season (5-5) in the seventh, lifting the Royals to a come-from-behind five-run victory in game one. In all, Hampsey collected the complete game victory, allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out four.

Game Two: Scranton 5, Juniata 2 | Box Score

The second game of the day was similar with the first, as the Royals grabbed an early lead and rode the arm of sophomore Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Parkland) to a three-run victory to complete the sweep.

Scranton got the scoring started in the second game in the first, as Stricker roped an RBI triple that scored Titor to give the Royals an early 1-0 edge. Juniata, however, answered back in the second and third innings, plating a run in each frame to take a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the third.

But there, Scranton exploded for four runs to put themselves up by three. Stricker gave the Royals the lead back with a swing, as a two-RBI double put Scranton back up, 3-2. Then, Snyder came through again for Scranton, this time roping a two-RBI single that put the Royals up, 5-2.

That lead proved to be insurmountable for Juniata to come back from the rest of the game, as Rentzheimer controlled the Eagle offense all game.

Retiring the final six batters in a row over the final two innings, Rentzheimer was able to collect a complete game victory, allowing just one earned run on seven hits to move to 5-4 on the year.

Overall, Stricker fell a home run short of hitting for the cycle in her 4-for-4 game two performance, as she had a single, two doubles and a triple. Snyder finished the second game a perfect 2-for-2, while Titor scored twice, as well.

The University of Scranton softball team returns to action on Sunday, hosting Elizabethtown in a Landmark Conference doubleheader in Jessup. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m.

--ROYALS--