SELINSGROVE, PA (April 20, 2023) – Riding a four-game win streak, Susquehanna softball continued their strong play on Thursday afternoon with another doubleheader sweep, taking two wins at home against Lycoming. A big first inning for the River Hawks led to a 10-4 win in game 1, before they continued to pile on hits as they took game 2 by an 8-3 margin.

Game 1: Susquehanna 10, Lycoming 4

The visiting Warriors came out swinging, tallying one run on two hits in the top of the 1^st inning against starter Amanda Amerman, but the first-year settled in brilliantly, striking out the last two batters of the inning to strand a runner on second. Not content with trailing, SU had plenty in response in the bottom of the inning, all starting with Meredith Pavlik. The first-year came to the plate and launched her seventh home run of the campaign over the fence, a tape-measure solo shot to right center that tied the game. That would not be all, as the River Hawks mounted a big two-out rally, picking up another four runs on five hits and a walk, including RBI singles from Zoe Bork and Rosemarie Mirabella and a two-RBI single by Nicole Wuertz.

Now trailing, Lycoming got to work clawing back, picking up single runs in the top of the 2^nd and 3^rd innings to make the score 5-3. But Susquehanna answered in the bottom of the 3^rd with an RBI single from Morgan Henry. After a scoreless 4^th inning, Amerman set down the Warriors in the top of the 5^th to make way for another big inning for SU. After Ashley Warner reached base on an error to start the bottom of the 5^th, Wuertz came to the plate with two outs and hit the first home run of her career, the two-run roundtripper easily clearing the center field wall and pushing the River Hawks' lead to five runs.

From there, it was all academic for SU, as they added two more runs on a two-RBI double by Warner in the bottom of the 6^th while Ashley Grudzien came in to pitch and had a solid relief outing, allowing just one run in the top of the 7^th but easily preserving the lead and seeing out the win. Wuertz's career-high four RBIs led the team, while she, Warner, Bork, Henry, and Mirabella all had two hits in the game, contributing to the team's total of 11.

Game 2: Susquehanna 8, Lycoming 3

The second tilt of the day would start in a highly similar fashion to the first, as Lycoming jumped out into the lead with a strong opening frame. They would score two runs on four straight hits, but once more, SU's starter, this time being Brianna Jones, would halt the run with two strikeouts to close the inning, stranding two runners on base. And just as with the first game, that Lycoming lead wouldn't last, as SU scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the 1^st, benefitting from a fielding error by the Warriors and back-to-back doubles by Warner and Erin Bean, with Warner picking up two RBIs. Wuertz would score Bean on an RBI groundout, making the score 4-2.

The next score came in the bottom of the 3^rd, as SU expanded their lead with more big hits. Lexi Palumbo led off the inning with a double, then coming home to score on an RBI single by Warner. She would then score the second run of the inning after reaching home on a wild pitch, making the score 6-2. While Jones stifled Lycoming's offense, the River Hawks lead expanded further in the 4^th, as Stevie Shaak hit an RBI triple to right center before coming home to score on an RBI single by Hannah Roland in the very next at-bat. With a comfortable six-run lead, Jones would make way for Lily Hochhausler, who turned in a brilliant relief performance in the circle and earned a save, throwing three innings while allowing just a single run in the top of the 7^th and striking out five of the fifteen batters she faced.

SU once again totaled 11 hits in the game, finishing with an impressive 22 combined hits on the day, eight of which went for extra-bases. Roland, Warner, and Bean each had two hits, while Warner led in RBIs with three. The senior had another impressive series, finishing the day 4 for 7 at the plate with two doubles, four runs scored, and five RBIs.

Now 19-12 overall, the River Hawks will get back to Landmark Conference action in short order, traveling to Juniata College on Friday afternoon for a doubleheader. The two teams currently sit tied with a 4-2 conference record, and either can take sole possession of second place with a sweep.

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--RIVER HAWKS--