DALLAS, PA – The Wilkes University softball team dropped a pair of games in its MAC Freedom season finale doubleheader at Misericordia University Saturday afternoon. The Lady Colonels fell 8-5 in game one before dropping a 9-6 decision in game two.
 
Wilkes falls to 13-23 overall and closes out the 2016 MAC Freedom schedule with a 3-11 mark.
 
A huge fourth inning saw the host Cougars claim game one as Misericordia scored seven runs in the frame. Wilkes responded with five runs of its own in the fifth to cut the lead to two. Ally Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford), Lacey Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) and Alexis Ayache (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) all provide the RBI hits for Wilkes. Paskas and Bixler each connected on RBI singles while Ayache drilled a double down the right field line scoring two on the play.
 
Misericordia tacked one more insurance run on in the sixth before shutting down the Wilkes bats over the final two innings to preserve the home conference win.
 
Bixler and Mikala Strum (Grass Valley, CA/Nevada Union) led Wilkes at the plate each going 2-for-3 in game one. Nicole Cumbo (Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) suffered the loss in the circle going 4.1 innings allowing five hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out four.
 
In game two, Misericordia again used a big inning to do most of its damage scoring six runs in the bottom of the first to race out to an early lead. The hosts added one run in the third and two in the fourth to go up 9-0 entering the top of the fifth.
 
From there the Lady Colonels bats came alive as Wilkes scored two runs in each of the next three innings to make things close. In the fifth, Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) hit an RBI double and Bixler followed with an RBI single through the left side. In the sixth, Welker connected on another RBI hit, this time a single scoring Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove). Grace Sanzalone (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingstone) added a sacrifice fly to bring Wilkes to within five at 9-4 entering the seventh.
 
Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) connected on a solo home run to lead-off the seventh before Welker added her third RBI hit of the game with two outs as Wilkes trailed 9-6. A pop out to second base ended the hopes of a full Wilkes comeback attempt.
 
Welker enjoyed a stellar day at the plate in game two going 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Lady Colonels. Cumbo started and recorded the loss in the circle in game two before Gambino entered in relief pitching four innings allowing three runs on five hits and striking out two Cougar batters.
 
Wilkes concludes the 2016 season on Tuesday when the Lady Colonels host the University of Scranton at 5:00 p.m. at the Ralston Athletic Complex.