SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna University softball team dropped their Landmark Conference series to the University of Scranton Sunday afternoon on Senior Day. Susquehanna (6-8, 6-8 LC) lost a 2-1 lead in the opener and succumbed to a 5-2 loss while the Royals (12-2, 12-2 LC) held on for a 6-5 victory in the second game.
 
In between games, the River Hawks honored their eight seniors – Michelle and Nicole Principe (East Northport, N.Y./Commack), Gabby Bubba (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Pope John XXIII), Madison Lane (Havertown, Pa./Haverford), Brittany Hebda (Kingston, Pa./Holy Redeemer), Kody Streeter (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), Brooke Wiarda (Green Pond, N.J./Morris Knolls), and Katherine Fahsbender (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII) – for their contributions and dedication to the softball program over the past four years.
 
GAME 1
How It Happened
After two scoreless innings, Scranton put up the first run of the game in the top of third inning. Graduate infielder Casey DeSarno led off the inning and reached base after being hit by a pitch then advanced to second on a single before heading to third on a sacrifice hit. DeSarno came home on a ground out RBI by sophomore outfielder Lauren Cawley. Bubba held the Royals to just that run by getting the next batter to fly out.
 
The River Hawks broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runs to claim their first lead of the game, 2-1. Junior captain Erin Bean (Watchung, N.J./Watchung Hills) made contact for a two-out, two-RBI double down the right field line, scoring Lane, who had a lead-off double, and Fahsbender, who drew a walk as the third hitter of the inning. A grounder back to the pitcher ended the inning.
 
The 2-1 SU lead didn't stand for long as junior catcher Heather Alich belted her second home run of the series with two outs on the board in the sixth, putting Scranton back on top, 3-2. A nice throw by Fahsbender from left field forced a Royal runner into a rundown for the final out and prevented another run.
 
Susquehanna stranded two in the sixth before the Royals tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a wild pitch and throwing error for a 5-2 advantage. Senior right-hander Jennifer Sweeney finished off her seventh complete game of the season by giving up just one hit in four at-bats to lock up the win.
 
Inside the Box Score
Susquehanna tallied two runs on five hits, including three extra-base hits, with one errors while stranding five on base. The Royals put up five runs on nine hits, including a pair of extra-base hits, with no errors and left four on base.
 
Top Performers
Sophomore infielder Ashley Warner (Bloomsbury, N.J./Phillipsburg) went 2-for-3 with a double to lead the River Hawks while Bean finished 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Bubba took the loss in the pitching circle, falling to 3-4 on the season after allowing five runs (all earned) on eight hits with one strikeout, one walk, and one hit batter.
 
Senior infielder Maggie Donnelly led the Royals offensively with a 2-for-3 effort while Alich ended the game 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Sweeney (7-1) fanned three River Hawks, walked three, and gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits.
 
GAME 2
How It Happened
Scranton jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first three innings thanks to a two-out, two-run bomb by Sweeney in the first inning and a two-out, two-RBI triple by first-year infielder Steph Stepnowski in the third.
 
The River Hawks got two back in the fourth. With bases loaded and two outs on the board, Warner connected on a two-RBI single to score Streeter, who doubled down the leftfield line as the second hitter of the inning, and Bean, who drew a walk as the fourth hitter.
 
The Royals put up two more runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Stepnowski to bring home first-year pinch runner Meredith Lee while sophomore pinch runner Jaclyn Goodman scored on a wild pitch. A ground out ended the inning and held Scranton at 6-2 with two innings to go.
 
Bubba entered the game in the sixth and allowed a two-out single in four at-bats to keep the Royals at 6-2. Susquehanna was dealt the same hand in its half of the sixth and the River Hawks headed into the final inning down four.
 
In the seventh, Scranton sandwiched a popup with two singles before the River Hawks turned a double play to keep the status quo. SU then mounted a rally, loading the bases right away with back-to-back singles and a walk to set up junior catcher Katie Koch's (West Milton, Pa./Lewisburg Area) two-RBI single to right center to close the gap to 6-4.
 
Following a controversial call at first had Koch out at first, a fielder's choice to Lane allowed sophomore designated player Morgan Henry (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) to score as she beat the throw to home and the River Hawks were within one with just one out on the board. However, a strikeout and a ground out to the pitcher cut short SU's comeback.
 
Inside the Box Score
The River Hawks scored five runs on 10 hits, including a double, with no errors and left 10 on base while Scranton had six runs on 11 hits, including two extra-base hits, with one error and stranded six on base.
 
Top Performers
Warner went 3-for-4 with two RBI to finish the afternoon, 5-for-7, while junior infielder Kiara Bryant (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) was 2-for-3 and Koch finished 1-for-4 with two RBI. Wiarda dropped to 2-3 on the season as she gave up four runs (all earned) on five hits with three walks and one strikeout in 3.0 innings.
 
Alich, Sweeney, and Stepnowski all finished with two hits to lead the Royals while Stepnowski drove in three runs. Senior Meaghan Dowdell (5-1) picked up the win, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with three strikeouts, three walks, and one wild pitch in 4.0 innings.
 
Up Next for the River Hawks
Apr. 24 vs. No. 10 Moravian (12-0, 8-0 LC) – Selinsgrove, Pa. / Sassafras Field – 1:00 p.m. (DH)
 
Facebook: susquehanna.riverhawks | Instagram: @gosusqu, @susquehannasoftball
Twitter: @GOsusqU, @SusqUSoftball | Hashtags: #AllIn, #GoSU, #RiverHawkPride