Shannon Stricker	Jacqueline DeSarro	Shanna Schaeffer
Jenna Snyder	Morgan Rentzheimer

Photo gallery (by Dan Ceccacci)
Photo gallery (by Emma Black)

JESSUP, Pa. - Junior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan) had five hits in two games, as the University of Scranton softball team finished off a banner weekend on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep of Landmark Conference foe Elizabethtown, winning in come-from behind fashion in both game one, 8-5, then game two, 10-7.

With the results, the Royals - winners of seven games in a row - are now 14-10 overall and 4-4 in the Landmark Conference.

Game One: Scranton 8, Elizabethtown 5 | Box Score

In the first game, the Royals broke it open in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a Elizabethtown mistake to pull out a three-run victory.

Falling behind early 1-0, Scranton got on the board in the bottom of the second, as junior Jenna Snyder (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake) came home on a Elizabethtown error, knotting the game up at 1-1.

In the third, Scranton took their first lead of the day, plating a pair of runs to go up 3-1.

The Royals grabbed the lead when Stricker hit her seventh career home run, which was a solo shot, then junior Jacqueline DeSarro (Bethlehem, Pa,/Bethlehem Catholic) came home on another error by E-Town to give the Royals a two-run lead.

But, in the top of the fourth, Elizabethtown struck back, scoring three runs to take the lead back at 4-3. In the bottom of the frame, however, sophomore Shanna Schaeffer (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) went long, cracking her first home run of the year and fourth of her career over the left field fence to tie the game back up at 4-4.

In the fifth, E-Town took the lead back at 5-4 and held it entering the bottom of the sixth where Scranton quickly loaded up the bases without an out.

After an out was recorded, an error in the infield on a ball hit by Stricker scored two runs, giving Scranton the lead back at 6-5.

After a wild pitch scored another Scranton run, Stricker came home on another E-Town error, giving the Royals a three-run lead entering the seventh. There, E-Town went down in order, as the Royals took advantage of some mistakes by the Blue Jays to take a game one win.

Overall, Stricker and Schaeffer each went 2-for-3 in the win, with each scoring twice and recording an RBI on solo home runs. In the circle, sophomore Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Parkland) was a complete game winner, striking out seven to improve to 6-4 overall on the year.

Game Two: Scranton 10, Elizabethtown 7 | Box Score

In the second game, the sixth inning was once again golden for Scranton, as the Royals exploded for seven runs to erase a two-run deficit and roll into their second Landmark Conference doubleheader sweep in as many days.

Scranton could not have gotten off to a better start in the second game, as the Royals opened a 3-0 lead after two innings.

In the first, DeSarro put the Royals on the board with a swing of the bat, as a two-run homer game Scranton the early 2-0 edge. The round tripper was the eighth of DeSarro's career and her first of the season.

In the second, Schaeffer came home after leading the inning off with a walk, giving Scranton a three-run lead entering the third. But there, E-Town's bats arose, as the Blue Jays scored five runs over the next three and a half innings to take a 5-3 lead into the bottom off the sixth.

Meanwhile, Scranton could not get much of anything going entering the home half of the sixth, as nine straight Royals were retired entering the frame.

But, Scranton came back with avengence in the inning, scoring seven runs on six hits to put themselves up 10-5 entering the seventh. In the rally, Scranton did not record a single extra base hit, as the Royals played small ball to ignite a huge rally.

In the seventh inning, E-Town was able to scratch two runs across on a home run, but it was too little, too late for the Blue Jays, as Royals reliever junior Emily Simon (Freehold, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) extinguished the comeback there, clinching the comeback win for Scranton.

Overall, Stricker ended the game going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Snyder was 2-for-3 with a run scored. DeSarro ended the day 1-for-4 with two RBI, while sophomore Kaitlyn Brogan (Oreland, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) didn't collect a hit (0-for-3), but still had two RBI in the victory.

In the circle, Simon earned the win (3-1) tossing two innings of relief work for the Royals.

The University of Scranton softball team returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to Misericordia for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for game win is set for 3 p.m.

--ROYALS--