SELINSGROVE, PA (March 30, 2024) – After a pair of midweek wins over Penn State Altoona, Susquehanna softball returned to their home field for a Landmark Conference doubleheader against Elizabethtown on Saturday afternoon. Battling through two tight contests, the River Hawks would fall 5-3 in game one after a late comeback effort from the Blue Jays but would rebound to claim a 3-2 victory in game two.
Game 1: Elizabethtown 5, Susquehanna 3
The River Hawks looked to be in control to start the game, with Hannah Foust starting the game in the circle and holding Elizabethtown hitless for the first two innings of the game. Susquehanna got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd inning, stringing together three hits and getting help from a fielding error that allowed the offense to push three runs across, thanks to a two-RBI single by Emily Deitch and an RBI fielder's choice from Zoe Bork.
The Blue Jays would not lie down though, surging back for a pair of runs in the top of the 5th inning, rattling off three-straight hits and four total in the inning. Amanda Amerman would work out of the inning with a strikeout to strand two runners and keep Susquehanna in the lead. After a scoreless 6th inning, Elizabethtown led off the top of the 7th with a double, immediately putting the pressure on SU once again. Amerman would get two outs with a walk in between, but with two runners on and two outs, three-straight two out singles saw the Blue Jays score three runs and claim their first lead of the day. All three hitters for SU in the bottom of the 7th made strong contact, but ultimately couldn't avoid the defenders' gloves.
Game 2: Susquehanna 3, Elizabethtown 2
After tallying just four total hits in the first game, the bats were working for Susquehanna in the second game as they racked up ten hits. It began straight away, as they scored a run in the top of the 1st thanks to a double by Deitch that was followed by an RBI single by Katelyn Dugery. E-Town tied it back up in the next frame, but Susquehanna scored again in the bottom of the 3rd, with Deitch scoring on an RBI single from Bork.
The Blue Jays tied the game once again, but the River Hawks had one last answer in the bottom of the 6th, getting an RBI single from Lexi Palumbo to restore the one-run advantage.
After a stellar outing in the circle, Brianna Jones capped it off with a shutdown frame in the top of the 7th to seal the win, striking out two of the three batters and sitting the last batter down on a groundout. Jones finished the day with a season-high eight strikeouts, surpassing the 100-career strikeout milestone during the game. She picked up her sixth win of the season.
Having now claimed their first conference win of the season, the River Hawks will look to build some further positive momentum as they take on Messiah University on Thursday, April 4 in a midweek non-conference doubleheader. Their next chance for a Landmark win will come a week from now as Susquehanna travels to take on 20th-ranked Moravian in a crucial matchup.
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--RIVER HAWKS--
