SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Wilkes University softball team fell in both games of its doubleheader at Susquehanna this afternoon, dropping the first game 11-2 in five innings before falling in the second game 12-7.

The Lady Colonels are now 6-14 this season.

Susquehanna jumped out to an 11-0 lead in game one through three innings before junior Lacey Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) hit an rbi single in the top of the fourth and freshman Alexis Ayache (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) hit an rbi groundout in the top of the fifth to make the score 11-2.

Freshman Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) led the Lady Colonels at the plate in the first game, finishing 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Junior Mikala Strum (Grass Valley, CA/Nevada Union) finished 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored.

Sophomore Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) pitched the first 2.2 innings, giving up 11 runs on nine hits with five walks and one strikeout.

In game two, Wilkes jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. Strum led off the game with single, with sophomore Grace Sanzalone (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingstone) moving Strum to second with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) followed with a bunt single and stole second, and was followed with a walk from Bixler to load the bases. Welker then reached on an error, driving in Strum, and allowing everybody to move up a base. Freshman Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) followed with a fielder's choice to drive in Birchmeier, with Bixler tagged out by the shortstop. Following a walk by senior Ally Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford), Ayache hit a bases-clearing double down the left field line.

Susquehanna started to chip away in the bottom of the second, scoring one run on one hit and a walk. The Crusaders scored six runs in the bottom of the third on seven hits and one walk to take a 7-5 lead, and added five runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits, one error, and one walk.

The Lady Colonels cut the lead to 12-7 in the top of the fifth when Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) hit a one out single to left field and was driven in on a double down the left field line by Bixler. Welker followed with a fly out to right field that advanced Bixler to third, and was driven home on a single to right field by Brown.

Strum and Birchmeier led Wilkes at the plate in game two, with each finishing 2-for-4. Birchmeier scored two runs in the game while Strum crossed the plate once.

Freshman Bethany Shaud (Drums, PA/Marion Catholic) threw the first two innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits with two walk and one strikeout to take the second game loss.

The Lady Colonels return to action tomorrow when they travel to DeSales for a makeup of their earlier series with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.