EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team gave up only three hits in two games, defeating Summit University 12-0 in game one before winning 9-1 in game two at Ralston Athletic Complex on Wednesday evening, with both games ending after five innings.

The Lady Colonels improved to 13-21 with the sweep.

Wilkes got on the board in the first inning of game one when junior Lacey Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) hit a triple to right field that scored sophomore Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge). The Lady Colonels added six runs in the bottom of the second on four hits and three Defender errors. Freshman Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) hit a one-out single to left field, stole second, and advanced to third when junior Mikala Strum (Grass Valley, CA/Nevada Union) reached on an error. Junior Ally Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) reached on an error and advanced to second with Strum coming in to score. Sophomore Grace Sanzalone (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingstone) singled to right field with Paskas advancing to third, stole second, and reached third on an error off the bat of sophomore Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East), allowing Paskas to score. Following Birchmeier's steal of second, Gambino stepped up and launched her second home run of the season to right center field, plating Sanzalone and Birchmeier and give Wilkes a 7-0 lead.

The Lady Colonels scored another run in the bottom of the third when Paskas singled to right field to drive in Welker and make the score 8-0. Wilkes finished the scoring in the bottom of the fourth, plating four runs on five hits and two errors. Birchmeier led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a single to left by Gambino. Bixler followed with an rbi single to drive in Birchmeier and advanced Gambino to second. Following a groundout that moved both runners up a base, freshman Alexis Ayache (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) singled to center to drive in Gambino and advanced Bixler to third. After freshman Tea Heister (Weatherly, PA/Weatherly) pinch-ran for Ayache, Bixler came in to score and Heister moved to second on a wild pitch. Welker singled to advance Heister to third, and Strum and Paskas both reached on errors, with Heister scoring to make the score 12-0.

Gambino earned the win, tossing her second complete-shutout of the season. Gambino gave up only two hits and one walk while striking out three.

Bixler (3-for-3, two rbi's, one run), Welker (3-for-3, two runs), and Gambino (2-for-2, three rbi's, three runs scored) led the Lady Colonels at the plate in the first game.

Wilkes scored three runs in the bottom of the first in game two on four hits. Sanzalone led off with a single and advanced to second on a single by Birchmeier. Following stolen bases by both runners, Bixler hit a single to left the drove in Sanzalone and advanced Birchmeier to third. After Bixler stole second, freshman Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) singled to left to drive in Birchmeier and advance Bixler to third, and Bixler came in to score after Brown was caught stealing second base to give the Lady Colonels a 3-0 lead.

Wilkes added six more runs in the bottom of the second on seven hits. Strum led off the inning with her second home run of the season. Welker followed with a single to left and stole second, coming in to score on a double to center by Paskas. Sanzalone followed with a single to center to drive in Paskas, and advanced to second on a single by Birchmeier. Following a fly out that allowed both runners to move up a base, Bixler stepped up and ripped her third home run of the season to right-center field, driving in all three runs and making the score 9-0.

Summit scored an unearned run in top of the third on one hit and one error.

Freshman Bethany Shaud (Drums, PA/Marion Catholic) earned the win in game two, giving up one hit and one unearned run in five innings with zero walks and three strikeouts.

Sanzalone, Birchmeier, Bixler, and Brown each had two hits in game two.

Wilkes returns to action tomorrow when it will host Rutgers-Newark for a 5 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.