Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
MADISON, N.J. - With a spot in the Landmark Conference Championship within their sights coming into the games, the University of Scranton softball team waltzed their way into the fourth seed of the tournament with a doubleheader sweep of Drew on Saturday, taking game one in a slugfest, 11-7, then rolling to a 9-0 win in game two.
With the victory, the Royals are now winners of six games in a row, improving to 20-14 overall and 6-6 in the Landmark.
Game One: Scranton 11, Drew 7 | Box Score
In the first game, a pair of five run frames was more than enough offense for Scranton, as the first game win clinched their spot in the Landmark Conference Championship.
After allowing two runs in the first to Drew, Scranton attacked back in the second with their first five-run inning to take a 5-2 lead after an inning and a half.
In the second, sophomore Kaitlyn Brogan (Oreland, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to record the first RBI, which was followed up by a two-RBI single by junior Angelica Titor (Bellerose Village, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) that gave the Royals their first lead of the day at 3-2.
Junior Kaitlin O'Sullivan (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) then had an RBI single to make it a 4-2 game, while the inning's final run was scored by Titor on a wild pitch.
After Drew tied the game back up with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second, Scranton struck back again in the third, scoring five more runs to go up 10-5.
Freshman Molly Hampsey (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock) and junior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan) each had RBI in the frame on groundouts, while Titor added another RBI on a single. Fellow junior Marisa Ciriello (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) had the last RBI of the frame on an RBI double, and eventually came home on a Drew error, giving the Royals the five-run lead.
That lead held for Scranton over the final four innings of play, as sophomore pitcher Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Laurys Station) settled down, at one point retiring 12 straight batters from the bottom of the third inning through the sixth.
Down 11-5 in the seventh, Drew plated a pair of runs, but the comeback bid ended there, as the Royals clinched the playoff spot with the four run win.
Overall, Scranton bashed 13 hits in the victory, as Titor led the way going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Ciriello was also 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Brogan (2-for-3), Stricker (2-for-5) and O'Sullivan (2-for-5) all had multiple hit games with one RBI apiece.
Game Two: Scranton 9, Drew 0 | Box Score
In the second game, the Royals broke open a pitchers duel in the later innings to complete the doubleheader sweep.
With the game scoreless in the fifth, Scranton proceeded to score runs in the final three innings of play, which was more than enough run support for senior pitcher Jamie Hampsey (Tunkhannock, Pa./Tunkhannock), who tossed a complete game.
In the fifth, Stricker broke open the scoreless tie with a three-run home run with two outs, giving Scranton a 3-0 lead in the process. The long ball was the fourth of Stricker's season and the eighth of her career. She also now has 83 career RBI, putting her in a tie for fourth in that category all-time in program history.
Next up in the sixth, Scranton tacked on two more runs to go up 5-0, as Rentzheimer and Jamie Hampsey had RBI singles, which was followed up by a four-run seventh inning that completely put Drew away.
In the circle in the second game, Jamie Hampsey improved to 7-7 on the year with another complete game, allowing just five hits in the shutout win. She also struck out three batters in the win, as well.
Overall in the second game, O'Sullivan went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Brogan was 2-for-5 with a run scored to round out the players with multiple-hits in the win. Both Rentzheimer and Jamie Hampsey had two RBI apiece in the victory, as well.
The University of Scranton softball team returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to Wilkes for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
--ROYALS--
