Susquehanna Earns Another Doubleheader Sweep, Wins at Dickinson, 4-2, 5-4

CARLISLE, Pa. -- The visiting Susquehanna University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader from Dickinson College, 4-2, 5-4, at Dickinson Park on March 23.

Susquehanna (12-4 overall) received back-to-back complete games from junior Cara Swerdlow (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and freshman Sarah Hoffman (Laceyville, Pa./Wyalusing Valley), respectively.

Swerdlow scattered seven hits and three walks while striking out five Dickinson (7-8 overall) batters. Hoffman allowed eight hits and four walks while notching seven strikeouts.

Junior infielder Brennan Balfour (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) and senior catcher Kelli Holota (Spring Lake, N.J./Livingston) led the SU offense. Balfour's homerun in Game 2 was her sixth this year, tying the Crusaders single-season record set by Sarah Shaffer '07 Harrison in 2006. Balfour now has eight career HR, which is tied for second in school history. Shaffer Harrison hit eight HR from 2004 to 2007, as did Meg Sorber '89 from 1986 to 1989. Laurie Blaszka '09 hit 10 HR from 2007 to 2009.

Holota had two HR on this day. She batted 2-for-3 in Game 1 with a walk, a double, a homer and two runs batted in before going 1-for-4 with the other homer in Game 2.

Balfour went 2-for-4 in both games. She scored two runs in the opener, then tripled and hit a two-run homer in the nightcap.

The Crusaders trailed Game 1, 2-1, entering the fourth inning before scoring twice in that frame to take a lead that they would never relinquish.

Game 2 was tied, 1-1, entering the fifth inning before Balfour and Holota smacked back-to-back HR for the game's final lead.

Dickinson trailed the nightcap by four runs before their final at bat and nearly forced extra innings, but after an RBI single, Holota ended the game by throwing out a Dickinson runner trying to advance to second base.

Also in Game 1, SU's senior outfielder Deanna Anderson (Coal Twp., Pa./Shamokin Area) batted 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Teammate and junior infielder/pitcher Kim Rubino (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run. Junior infielder Shelly Landis (Souderton, Pa./Christopher Dock Mennonite) had an RBI single in four at bats.

Rubino was 2-for-3 in Game 2. Landis, senior infielder Katie Connors (Laflin, Pa./Pittston Area) and sophomore infielder Kate Reese (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area) each went 1-for-3 with a run in that game. Landis and Connors also walked, and Landis doubled.

Next Games: Saturday, March 27, at USMMA (DH) (Landmark Conference games), 1 p.m.

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