game one   game two

WAYNE, N.J. – Gina Stefanelli (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Meyers) picked up five hits including a homerun to help Wilkes garner a split against No. 24 William Patterson. The Lady Colonels won the first game 5-3 before falling in the second 4-2. The win marked the first time Wilkes has beaten a ranked opponent this season.

The Lady Colonels scored four of their five runs in the final two innings to complete a come from behind deficit. William Patterson broke a scoreless game in the bottom of the third after Christina Zippler hit an RBI triple.

The lead wouldn't last long as Wilkes tied the game in the fourth. Cori Saltzer (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East) hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Stefanelli who doubled to left center to start the inning.

The Pioneers loaded the bases in the fifth before Lindsey Nadolny hit a two-run single up the middle to give them a 3-1 lead. Stefanelli and Kathy Dalton (Neptune, N.J./St. Rose) hit back-to-back homeruns to lead off the sixth inning to tie the game at three before Stefanelli would come through in the clutch once again as she hit an RBI single with the bases loaded to score Kristy Ordile (Bellmawr, N.J./Triton Regional) and MeLisa Bracone (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East).

The loss was just the seventh of the year for the Pioneers, who fell to 28-7 after the loss, while Wilkes starter Lindsay Behrenshausen (Mt. Holly Springs/Boiling Springs) improved to 14-5 on the year as she gave up three runs off seven hits while striking out four.

In the second game, William Patterson scored two runs in the fourth before the Lady Colonels answered with a run in the top of the fifth when Stefanelli walked with the bases loaded to score Sarah Elliott (Easton, Pa./Easton Area), who led off the inning with a single. They would tie the game at two in the sixth on an RBI double by Ordile, but two runs by the Pioneers in the bottom of the sixth was enough for starter Kerrie Mascarelli.

Wilkes moved to 18-20 on the year and will face King's Tuesday at a time to be determined in the Freedom Conference Tournament play-in game. The winner will face No. 1 seed Misericordia next weekend.