Morgan Rentzheimer	Anna Price	Shannon  Stricker

Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)

JESSUP, Pa. - The University of Scranton softball team cashed in on an error by seventh-ranked Moravian in the sixth inning, as the Royals scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on the mistake, taking a 3-2 upset victory over the Greyhounds in the second game of a Landmark Conference doubleheader at Jessup Youth Sports Complex.

With the game two victory, Scranton ends the regular season with a record of 20-15 overall and 4-8 in the Landmark Conference. The win snapped a 10-game losing streak by the Royals to Moravian, marking the first time since Apr. 14, 2012 that Scranton collected a win over the Greyhounds.

Moravian, who won game one, 9-0, in five innings, went to 34-4 overall and 11-1 in the Landmark with the split.

After being blanked in game one and only recording two hits overall, Scranton attacking first in game two, plating the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI triple by senior Jacqueline DeSarro (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) that scored fellow senior Shannon Stricker (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell-Egan) to make it a 1-0 lead for Scranton.

Moravian, however, struck back in the top of the second, scoring two runs to grab the lead back at 2-1.

But, the Greyhounds bats were silenced throughout the rest of the contest by junior pitcher Morgan Rentzheimer (Laurys Station, Pa./Parkland), who kept Moravian at bay over the next four innings.

In the third, Scranton knotted the game up at 2-2, as Stricker dribbled an RBI single up the middle, scoring freshman pinch runner Natalie Dominguez (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) to tie the game up at two-all.

The score remained that way into the bottom of the sixth inning. In the frame, DeSarro reached base on a hit by pitch with one out. After the second out was recorded, senior Kaitlin O'Sullivan (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) kept the Royals alive in the inning with a single with two away.

With runners on first and second, freshman Anna Price (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) stepped to the plate and roped a line drive to center field, which was misplayed by Moravian's center fielder.

Freshman Alessandra Messina (Ambler, Pa./Landsdale Catholic), who pinch ran for DeSarro, came all the way home from second on the error, giving the Royals the lead back at 3-2 in the process.

Up by one, Rentzheimer needed just three outs to collect the victory in the seventh.

After getting the first two batters out, Rentzheimer walked a batter to put the go-ahead run up at the plate. But, the junior forced a line out to senior second baseman Angelica Titor (Bellerose Village, N.Y./Bellerose Village) to end it, lifting the Royals to the upset victory.

Overall, it was pitcher's duel all game between Rentzheimer and Moravian starter Amanda Carisone, with each allowing four hits on the day. Rentzheimer came out on top to push her record on the year to 13-6, striking out four in the win.

Before the start of the doubleheader, the Royals honored nine seniors who were playing in their final games in Jessup today: DeSarro, Stricker, Titor, O'Sullivan, Jenna Snyder (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake), Katherine Kunak (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury), Emily Simon (Freehold, N.J./Red Bank Catholic), Marisa Ciriello (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) and Christine Kiefer (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh).

With the game two win, Scranton kept their hopes alive in nabbing the final spot in the Landmark Conference Playoffs, which will begin on Friday. A doubleheader sweep by Elizabethtown over Juniata tomorrow will earn the Royals the number four seed in the field.

More updates on the 2017 Landmark Conference Softball Playoffs will become available as information is released over the next few days.

--ROYALS--