SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton softball team (7-4, 2-0 Landmark) scored 19 runs in two games and opened Landmark Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of the Elizabethtown Blue Jays (6-6, 0-2 Landmark) on Sunday afternoon at Magis Field in Scranton.

The Royals took game one by a score of 9-3 and rolled to a 10-0 victory in five innings in game two.

Game One

Scranton took the lead for good with a four-run fourth inning that erased a 3-2 deficit and opened up a 6-3 lead en route to the victory.

In that fourth inning, graduate student Jennifer Sweeney (Wind Gap, Pa./Dumont) knocked in a run with an RBI double, freshman Alyssa Mosconi (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) followed with an RBI single of her own and juniors Olivia Burd (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) and Jenna Davida (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown North) added an RBI groundout and RBI triple later in the frame for the 6-3 lead.

Sweeney added a two-run blast in the fifth inning that stretched the advantage to 8-3 and the Royals were able to preserve the win. She also got the job done in the circle as she gave up three runs on five hits to go along with a walk and a season-high nine strikeouts in a complete game effort.

The Wind Gap, Pa., native has now fanned 17 batters over her last two starts and the nine punchouts are the second highest total of her career.

Paige Phillips was dealt the loss for the Blue Jays after allowing five runs on four hits while walking and fanning two in three plus innings.

Scranton led 2-0 after an inning of play as a walk and a fielder's choice put two runners on with one away with before sophomore Sarah Stepnowski (Monroe Twp., N.J./Monroe) plated both runners with a two-run triple into the right centerfield gap. ETown quickly responded with a three-run blast from Kaitlyn Witmer in the top of the second to take a 3-2 edge for the time being.

Four different players notched a multi-hit game in the victory for the Royals: Davida (2-3, 2 3B, RBI, 2 R), Mosconi (2-3, RBI, R), Stepnowski (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI) and Sweeney (2-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R).

Game Two

Freshman Emma Tirollo (Orange, Conn./Amity Regional) allowed just two hits over five shutout innings and the Royals plated 10 runs on 16 hits to cruise to the 10-0 win.

Scranton put up runs in each of the first three innings with one in the first, two in the second and two more in the third. Stepnowski opened the scoring with an RBI single, senior Jessica Indelicato (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) plated a run with an RBI triple in the second and Sweeney homered for the fourth time in as many games with a two-run shot to make it a 5-0 game after three.

In the decisive fifth inning, Mosconi came through with an RBI triple, junior Ava Brakoniecki (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) delivered an RBI single and Stepnowski ended the game with a bases-clearing three run triple into the gap for the 10-0 victory.

Tirollo (4-1) walked one and struck out three in the shutout victory for the Royals.

Tori Caputo was charged with all 10 runs in the setback for the Blue Jays and took the loss in 4 2/3 IP of work.

Five different players recorded at least two hits apiece for Scranton in the nightcap: Davida (2-4, R), Indelicato (2-2, 2B, 3B, RBI, R), Mosconi (2-3, 3B, RBI, 2 R), Stepnowski (3-4, 2B, 4 RBI) and Sweeney (2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R).

The Royals are back in action on Tuesday when Keystone comes to Magis Field for a non-conference doubleheader that will get underway at 4 p.m.

--ROYALS--