SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna softball team won two games (5-1 and 1-0) against the visiting Blue Jays of Elizabethtown College to clinch the number one spot in the Landmark Conference Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

In game one of the Senior Day doubleheader against the Blue Jays, SU struck first to gain a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Bridget Rafter (Highlands, N.J. / Henry Hudson Regional) singled to left field and Leigh Ann Greenwald (Piscataway, N.J. / Immaculata) followed with a homerun over the left-centerfield wall by to put the Crusaders on the board with two runs.

Heather Pearson (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton) followed with a single to third base and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kelly Miller (Kendall Park, N.J. / South Brunswick). Senior Brianna Murphy (Hazlet, N.J. / Mater Dei Prep) singled to center field to score Pearson to end the inning up 3-0.

Neither team scored again until the top of the fifth inning when the Blue Jays scored on a double followed by a run-scoring single.

Susquehanna, though, scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Greenwald and Pearson singled back to back and senior Anna Heggenstaller (Liverpool, Pa. / Greenwood) walked to load the bases. Murphy singled to score Greenwald and senior Stephanie Chlebove (Northampton, Pa. / Northampton Area) hit a sacrifice fly to score Pearson to put the Crusaders up 5-1. Elizabethtown was not able to answer in the top of the seventh and SU won 5-1.

Senior pitcher Morgan Lewis (Newton, Pa. / Council Rock North) finished with eight strikeouts and no walks earned the win, her 15^th of the season.

Murphy, Greenwald, and Pearson led in hits with two apiece while Murphy and Greenwald led in RBIs with two.

Game two remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Susquehanna scored the only run of the game. Amanda Neveroski (Toms River, N.J. / Toms River North) singled to the pitcher and then stole second to move into scoring position. With two outs, Heggenstaller doubled to left field to score Neveroski. Starter Jamie Fesinstine (Long Valley, N.J. / West Morris Central)  retired the Blue Jays in order in the top of the seventh to win the game 1-0.

Fesinstine struck out three and earned the win, increasing her record to 13-2. Heggenstaller went 1-for-1 and earned one RBI to lead the Crusaders.

With these wins, Susquehanna earns the number one ranking, and will host the Landmark Conference Tournament Friday and Saturday, May 1-2. 

Landmark Conference Tournament Schedule
Day One – Friday, May 1 at Susquehanna
Game 1 – No. 4 Elizabethtown at No. 1 Susquehanna – 11:00 a.m.
Game 2 – No. 3 Catholic vs. No. 2 Moravian – 1:00 p.m.
Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 3:00 p.m.

Day Two – Saturday, May 2 at Susquehanna
Game 4 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 10:00 a.m.
Game 5 – Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – 12:00 p.m.
Game 6 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 – 2:00 p.m.
Game 7 – If Necessary – Immediately Following