SCRANTON - Senior Jennifer Sweeney (Wind Gap, Pa./Dumont) pitched back-to-back shutouts to break The University of Scranton softball program's record for most career victories, as the Royals advanced to the 2021 Landmark Conference Championship Series with two victories over Catholic on Sunday at Magis Field by scores of 4-0 and 8-0 (in five innings).

With the victories, Scranton (23-5) advances to the Landmark Conference Championship Series for the third straight time, where they will take on Moravian next weekend In Bethlehem. Catholic (13-9) had their season come to an end with the losses.

Scranton 4, Catholic 0 | Box Score

In the first game of the day, Scranton pulled away with runs in three straight innings, as Sweeney tossed a three-hit, complete game shutout just when the Royals needed it most.

The scoring began with the game scoreless in the top of the fourth and with one away, graduate student Casey DeSarno (Wall Township, N.J./Wall) - who started the inning off with a single - scored on a wild pitch to crack a scoreless tie, giving Scranton the early 1-0 edge.

Then, in the top of the fifth, graduate student Megan Zinn (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) broke out of a hitting slump in a huge way, as she cracked a two-out,  two-RBI double to give the Royals a 3-0 lead. DeSarno and sophomore Lauren Cawley (Duryea, Pa./Scranton Prep) scored on the play.

Finally, in the top of the sixth, junior Heather Alich (Bath, Pa./Northamption Area) led the frame off with a solo home run over the left field fence, giving the Royals a four-run edge. The home run was Alich's fifth of the 2021 season.

The four-run lead for Sweeney was more than enough to work with down the stretch, as she shut down the Catholic offense to collect her 13th win of the year (13-3) and the 46th of her career to tie Morgan Rentzheimer's (2015-2018) program record in that category. Sweeney allowed just one walk in the win, as well.

At the plate, Zinn was 2-for-3 with two RBI's, while freshman Sarah Stepnowski (Monroe Twp., N.J./Monroe) and Cawley also went 2-for-3. Sophomore Isabella Gorzkowski (Pittston, Pa./Scranton Prep) rounded out the top performances with a 2-for-4 effort.

Scranton 8, Catholic 0 (5) | Box Score

The Royals rode the wave of momentum in the fifth and final game of the weekend at Magis Field, as they scored early and often in a five-inning victory that ended Catholic's season.

After two and a half scoreless innings, Scranton got on the board in the bottom of the third, as senior Maggie Donnelly (New Hyde Park, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy Academy) scored on a Catholic error. With two outs, Sweeney made the Cardinals pay for their earlier mistake, as she roped a two-RBI single that scored DeSarno and Zinn to give the Royals an early 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, Scranton tacked on two more runs to go up 5-0, thanks to a two-RBI single by DeSarno with two away. Donnelly and freshman pinch runner Meredith Lee (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) scored on the play.

Needing three runs to end the game in the fifth inning, the Royals attacked right away to finish off the Cardinals.

Loading the bases with no outs, Gorzkowski made it a 6-0 game with an RBI single that scored sophomore pinch runner Jaclyn Goodman (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville). After a pitching change, Donnelly forced a bases loaded walk to knock home Stepnowski and make it a 7-0 game, putting the Royals one run away from ending the game.

With Cawley up and the bases loaded, Stepnowski was able to beat out a throw home off a ground ball to finish off the win in five innings for the Royals.

Scranton was put in the position to end it in five thanks to another outstanding game in the circle by Sweeney, who broke the program record for most career victories with a two-hit shutout win. Sweeney, who is now 14-3 overall, allowed just two walks in the win, her 47th all-time as a Royal.

At the plate, DeSarno and Sweeney were both 2-for-3 with two RBI's, apiece. Gorzkowski rounded out the top performers with a 2-for-3, one RBI game.

Scranton now moves on to take on Moravian, who improved to 28-0 on the year with a pair of victories over Susquehanna this weekend in their Landmark playoff pod. The Greyhounds are ranked fourth nationally in NCAA Division III by the NFCA, as well.

More information on the Landmark Championship Series will be posted at athletics.scranton.edu as it becomes available.

--ROYALS--