PIKESVILLE, MD (March 5, 2022) -- The Susquehanna University softball team traveled down to Stevenson University for a pair of non-conference contests with the Mustangs Saturday, but the River Hawks were unable to hold onto leads in both ends of the doubleheader in falling 5-2 in game one along with a 9-7 loss in game two. 

Game 1 - Stevenson 5, Susquehanna 2
The River Hawks led 2-0 after the first inning, but the host Mustangs clawed back into the game and scored three in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good in the opening game of the afternoon. 

Susquehanna took the early lead as Erin Bean singled to start the game, followed by a Lexi Palumbo single to put runners on first and second with no out. After a fielder's choice and passed ball, Susquehanna got on the board thanks to a throwing error by Stevenson. The River Hawks doubled their edge to 2-0 as Morgan Henry singled in Ashley Warner, who had reached earlier on a fielder's choice. 

The River Hawks' lead would get cut in half in the bottom of the third, as Jordan Fangman singled in Rebecca Henry to make it 2-1. Stevenson deadlocked the game an inning later, as Kat Perea homered to center field to make the game 2-2. 

The deciding inning came in the fifth inning, as the Mustangs got an RBI single from Marissa Heuer followed by a two-run single from Sierra Stark. 

The River Hawks would threaten in the top of the seventh, as Hannah Roland and Nicole Plesh singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. Senior Katie Koch just missed tying the game with a flyout to center field, pushing the River Hawks down to their last out. Bean would single in the next at-bat, but Plesh was thrown out at third base to end the game. 

Roland finished 2-for-3 for the River Hawks, while Bean added a 2-for-4 afternoon. Warner was 1-for-3 with a double and SU starting pitcher Gabby Bubba allowed five runs on eight hits, striking out four over five innings of work. 

Heuer earned the complete game win for the Mustangs, allowing nine hits and two earned runs while fanning seven. 

Game 2 - Stevenson 9, Susquehanna 7
In the second game of the day, the River Hawks led by as many as five at 6-1, but couldn't hold on as the Mustangs scored seven in the fifth inning to rally for the victory. 

Susquehanna got on the board early with an exclamation point, as Warner blasted a homer to right center to make it 1-0. In the top of the second, Hailey Kaba drove in a run with a single, and Bean pushed the River Hawk lead up to 3-0 with a run-scoring sacrifice fly. 

Stevenson would get one back with a homer in the bottom of the third from Jillian Haines, but Susquehanna responded with three in the top of the fifth. Bean got the rally going with a single, and came around to score on a RBI single from Warner. Kiara Bryant was up next and singled to right center to score Palumbo, while Zoe Bork's hit by pitch pushed in Warner from third. SU could have added on more, but couldn't convert with the bases loaded with one out. 

The Mustangs would come right back in the bottom half of the fifth inning to take the lead with seven runs. Fangman doubled in two runs to make if 6-3, and Maddie Bosley homered a batter later to cut the Susquehanna lead to one at 6-5. After a pitching change, Megan Hamp would go back-to-back, homering to tie the game at six. The rally continued as six consecutive batters reached with SU plating two more runs to make it 8-6 Stevenson. 

The River Hawks came right back in the top of the sixth, as Palumbo and Warner singled with one out, followed by a Henry walk to load the bases. Koch came up next and singled to plate Roland to make it 8-7, but the River Hawks couldn't push any more across as they left the bases full. The next inning, Stevenson would connect on its fourth homer of the game, as Hamp gave the Mustangs some breathing room with her second round-tripper of the game to make the score 9-7. SU would go 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, as Stevenson secured the non-conference twinbill sweep. 

Warner finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in game two, while Bryant was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Koch also posted a 3-for-4 contest, driving in a run to go with an RBI, while Palumbo and Bean each added a pair of singles. Katie Murphy allowed one earned run over three innings, striking out three. 

Up Next

• The River Hawks will have the week off before traveling to Salisbury University for a pair of doubleheaders next weekend. Susquehanna will take on No. 8 Salisbury and Clarkson University both Saturday and Sunday for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders in Salisbury, MD. 

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---RIVER HAWKS--