SCRANTON, PA - Susquehanna softball split their Landmark doubleheader Saturday at Scranton, winning the first onem 3-0 behind the arm of pitcher Brianna Jones, who struck out a career-best 11 batters towards her fourth shutout of the season. This put her over the 200 career strikeout mark, now with 204. Despite a couple of early runs to lead in the nightcap, the Royals bounced back with a 5-4 victory to split the series.
Game 1: Susquehanna 3, Scranton 0
The River Hawks started the series out with a bang as they defeated the Royals 3-0 in the early slate of the doubleheader. Brianna Jones continued her phenomenal junior campaign, tacking her third complete shutout game in a row and fourth total to her 5-2 season resume.
Both teams competed in a defensive battle before SU scored the first run of the afternoon off a Alyssa Mayorca triple, pushing Jones across the plate to take the 1-0 lead in the third frame of the game. The River Hawks tacked on an additional two runs in the frame. Lexi Palumbo doubled, sending Mayorca across the home bag. Isabella Sulesky earned an RBI, as she singled to left field, pushing Palumbo across the plate.
Game 2: Scranton 5, Susquehanna 4
Susquehanna jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top half of the opening frame, as Palumbo earned an RBI single, propelling Mayorca across home plate. The River Hawks added some security runs in the second inning, pushing their lead to three. Emily Deitch singled, resulting in Myalynn Morales earning the second run for SU. Bri Jones doubled to right field and Deitch scored off the hit. Scranton cut into the SU lead in the third and fourth inning, cutting the River Hawks lead to 1. Palumbo earned another RBI in the fifth inning, sending a ball to right field, resulting in Jones touching the home bag. Scranton had an explosive fifth inning, scoring three runs, taking the lead from SU. SU was unable to reclaim the lead for the remainder of the game.
Ashley Carlson got the start for SU, pitching 3.1 innings. Carlson struck out three batters, while allowing five hits to the Royals. Hannah Foust came on in relief of Carlson in the fourth to preserve a 3-2 lead, ultimately allowing three runs to cross the plate in the fifth with two earned before Brianna Jones was called on again. She got the final five outs, with four of them coming on strikeouts and an immaculate inning in the bottom of the sixth. Jones now has 208 lifetime strikeouts with Susquehanna.
Up Next For SU:
Susquehanna hopes to bounce back after the split with the Royals, as they head to Altoona, Pa for a date with Penn State Altoona slated for March 31. Following Penn State Altoona, the River Hawks return home to take on Stevenson University in a doubleheader matchup on April 2.
