Kaitlin O'Sullivan	Christine Kiefer	Shannon Stricker
Casey DeSarno	Jenna Snyder	Emily Simon

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

JESSUP, Pa. -- The University of Scranton softball team posted key hits at critical times in both games in a non-conference doubleheader on Monday evening against Misericordia, as the Royals came-from-behind to take game one, 5-4, before rolling to an 8-0 win in six innings in game two.

With the sweep, Scranton moved to 18-13 overall, while Misericordia fell to 16-18 with the losses.

In game one, Misericordia lept out to a 3-0 lead on the Royals in the second inning. In the third, Scranton attacked back, as senior Christine Kiefer (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) blasted a two-run homer over the center field fence to slice the Cougars lead down to 3-2.

After Misericordia got a run back in the top of the fourth to go up 4-2, Scranton took the lead in the bottom of the fifth after scoring three runs.

Senior Jacqueline DeSarro (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) had a sacrifice RBI fly out that scored the first run of the frame, while fellow senior Kaitlin O'Sullivan (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had what turned out to be a game-winning two-RBI single with two outs, lifting the Royals to a 5-4 lead.

From there, junior pitcher Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Parkland) kept Misericorida at bay the rest of the game to earn the victory, as the Cougars only recorded one hit over the final two innings. Rentzheimer, who moved to 12-5 on the year with the victory, struck out six in the game.

Overall in game one, O'Sullivan was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Kiefer was also perfect, going 2-for-2, while smacking the seventh home run of her career in the victory.

In the second game, Scranton got up early and never looked back, as the Royals plated four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to end the game there.

The scoring started for Scranton in the bottom of the second, as DeSarro scored off an RBI groundout by freshman Casey DeSarno (Wall Township, N.J./Wall) to make it a 1-0 game.

The lead was extended out to 4-0 in the bottom of the third on one swing of the bat, as senior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell Egan) smashed a three-run home run with two outs.

Up by four entering the sixth, Scranton put the game away with a pair of extra base hits.

First, O'Sullivan had another two-RBI hit, this time smashing a double with one out to make it a 6-0 lead for Scranton.

Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, senior Jenna Snyder (Thornville, N.Y./Westlake) ended the game with a two-RBI double down the left field line, lifting Scranton to their 18th win of the year in the process.

In the pitching circle in the win, senior Emily Simon (Freehold, N.J./Red bank Catholic) was terrific, allowing just four hits in a shutout victory to move to 4-4 on the year.

Simon was also assisted by great defense by the Royals throughout the contest as she forced nine groundouts. In the field, DeSarno was fantastic in the win, posting six assists, while O'Sullivan had eight putouts, as Scranton did not commit an error in the game two win.

The University of Scranton softball team returns to action on Tuesday, traveling across town to Marywood for another non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

--ROYALS--