Game 1 Boxscore

Game 2 Boxscore

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Junior infielder Brennan Balfour (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) smacked two homeruns to break Susquehanna University's single-season HR record and tie the career record while helping Susquehanna top visiting Wilkes University, 7-5, 11-3, in a non-conference softball doubleheader at Sassafras Fields on April 15.

SU (24-4 overall) fell behind Wilkes (7-17 overall) in Game 1, 4-0, after three innings but strung together all seven of its runs between the fourth and sixth innings to win.

The Crusaders scored all 11 of their runs in the first three innings of Game 2 to build an 11-3 advantage and eventually end the game in the fifth by the same score due to the eight-run rule.

Susquehanna has now won 16 straight games to set a new school record for longest single-season winning streak, also tying the school's overall winning-streak record set from the end of the 1991 season (14 wins) and into 1992 (two more). The most wins in one season at SU came in 1998 when the team went 26-14.

Balfour batted 2-for-4 in Game 1, including an inside-the-park HR, with two runs scored and two runs batted in. The inside-the-parker broke the single-season record of six HR. She then went 2-for-3 in the nightcap, scoring a pair of runs and driving in two more by way of her career-record-tying 10th round-tripper. Balfour also tied the SU single-season RBI mark of 32 with that second homer.

Sarah Shaffer '07 Harrison held the previous single-season HR mark of six set in 2006. Laurie Blaszka '09 also hit 10 career HR from 2007 to 2009. Meg Sorber '89 also drove in 32 runs in 1989.

SU's sophomore outfielder Lisa Finizio (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) had an 0-for-3 Game 1 but drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Finizio also found her way into the SU record books this day, setting a new single-season-runs record of 32 by scoring three times in Game 2. She went 1-for-2 with a triple, a walk and a stolen base in that game.

The old runs-scored record was shared by SU Sports Hall of Famer Jennifer Winter '92 Zeitz, who scored 30 runs in 1992, and Dina Fornataro '97, who did the same in 1997.

Crusaders sophomore infielder Kate Reese (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area) smacked a triple and scored a run as part of a 1-for-3 Game 1. Reese then hit a three-RBI triple in Game 2 in two at bats.

Junior pitcher/infielder Kim Rubino (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) and fellow junior infielder Shelly Landis (Souderton, Pa./Christopher Dock Mennonite) both recorded at least one hit in the twinbill. Rubino went 1-for-3 in Game 1 with an RBI, while Landis had a 2-for-3 opener. In the nightcap, Rubino batted 1-for-2 with a run scored, an RBI and was hit by her ninth pitch this season. Landis scored twice, drove in another run and walked in a 1-for-2 Game 2.

SU's senior catcher Kelli Holota (Spring Lake, N.J./Livingston) scored twice and drove in two more in her 2-for-3 Game 2, while junior infielder Taylor Crawford (Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley HS) went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI in the same game.

Sophomore outfielder Sarah Dowzicky (Collegeville, Pa./Germantown Academy) and senior infielder Katie Connors (Laflin, Pa./Pittston Area) each stroked a double in the opener as part of a 1-for-3 game with a run and an RBI.

Crusaders senior outfielder Deanna Anderson (Coal Twp., Pa./Shamokin Area) went 1-for-4 in Game 1 with a triple, a stolen base, a run and an RBI. Anderson was also hit by a pitch in the second game.

Junior Cara Swerdlow (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and freshman Sarah Hoffman (Laceyville, Pa./Wyalusing Valley) improved their records to 13-2 and 9-2 this season, respectively, by tossing complete games. Swerdlow surrendered nine hits and five earned runs in the opener while walking four and striking out five batters. She also had a hit in her only at bat and walked. Hoffman scatted four hits in the five-inning game and gave up just two earned runs. She walked four batters and struck out three in the victory.

Next Games: Saturday, April 17, vs. Drew (DH) (Landmark Conference games), 1 p.m.