Game One Box / Game Two Box

WILKES-BARRE – Jessalyn Paveletz (Hanover Township, PA/Hanover Area) had the only run-producing hit of the day for the Lady Colonels in the form of a three-run homerun in game number two as the Lady Colonels fall to Susquehanna by scores of 2-0 and 7-3 at the Ralston Athletic Complex on Thursday.

In game number one the Crusaders jumped on Wilkes early, scoring two runs in the first inning on three hits while leaving the bases loaded at the end of the frame. The rest of the game was a dual between Susquehanna pitcher Cara Swerdlow and Wilkes' Lindsey Behrenshausen. After the first inning, Behrenshausen surrendered just three hits and no runs while striking out three batters. Swerdlow allowed just two hits in the game and walked two batters.

In the sixth and seventh innings Wilkes had a runner on the base-path, but couldn't find a way to get them home, ultimately falling 2-0 in game one. The only Lady Colonels with hits were Megan Mowery (Berwick/Berwick) and Behrenshausen.

In game two the Crusaders jumped out to an early lead once again, scoring on run on just one hit in the first inning. In the fifth Susquehanna scored two more runs, and in the sixth a solo homerun gave the Crusaders a four run advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth inning Cori Saltzer (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East) and Cindy Diemer (Berwick/Berwick Area) had worked their way on base when Paveletz slammed a three-run homerun over the left field fence to bring Wilkes to within one. In the top of the seventh Susquehanna answered in the form of three runs on three hits and a Wilkes error. The Lady Colonels weren't able to respond in the bottom of the frame, leaving two runners stranded and falling 7-3.

Paveletz's homerun was her first of the season, while Alysha Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) picked up the loss in game two. Wilkes combined for eight hits between the two games, and committed four total errors. Jackie Follweiler (Slatington/Northern Lehigh) and Saltzer each had two hits in game two.

Wilkes will now enter back into Freedom Conference play when it heads to Madison, N.J. on Saturday to take on FDU-Florham. That doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m.