EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team scored eight runs on 10 hits to back another solid pitching effort from Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) to earn a game two victory 8-1 after dropping game one 15-5 against Susquehanna University on Wednesday afternoon.

The Lady Colonels improved to 23-11 on the season.

In game one, Susquehanna jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on four hits, and expanded its lead to 3-0 with one run in the top of the second on zero hits.

Wilkes cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the second when Lacey Bixler (Williamstown, PA/Williams Valley) hit a home run to deep left field.

The River Hawks opened up the score in the top of the third with four runs on five hits to take a 7-1 lead.

The Lady Colonels responded in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs on three hits with the aid of a Susquehanna error. Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) started with a one-out walk and scored on Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley)'s double. Staunton followed with a single through the right side that moved Gibson to third, with Staunton advancing to second on a throwing error before Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) homered to center to cut the score to 7-5.

The River Hawks extended their lead to 10-5 in the top of the sixth with three runs on two hits and finished the scoring five runs on three hits in the top of the seventh.

Nicole Cumbo (Wyoming, PA/Wyoming Area) fell to 2-2 with the loss.

Gibson (2-3, one run, one RBI) and Staunton (2-2, one run) each had multiple hits in the first game.

In game two, Wilkes got on the board in the bottom of the third with four runs on six hits. Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) lead off with a single up the middle before Ally Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) attempted to bunt her to second, with Gambino forced on the fielder's choice. Paskas moved to third on Gibson's double to left with both runners scoring on Kaliyah Moore (South Williamsport, PA/Williamsport)'s single to left. Moore came in to score on Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove)'s double to the gap in left center before coming in to score on Welker's single to center.

The Lady Colonels pushed their lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on two hits. Paskas hit a one-out single to right before coming in on Gibson's first career home run.

Susquehanna closed the lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth with one run on one hit and two Wilkes errors.

The Lady Colonels quickly answered, scoring two runs on two hits. Brown led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch before Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) hit a laser shot the glanced off the third baseman's glove into left field, but did not allow Brown to move to third. After Staunton walked to load the bases and a 1-2-3 double play, Gambino game through with a two run single to the right center gap but was caught trying to stretch her single into a double to end the inning.

Staunton improved to 12-3 in her freshman campaign, going all seven innings and surrendering one run on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Gibson (2-4, two runs, two RBI's), Welker (2-3, one run, one RBI), and Gambino (2-3, two RBI's) led Wilkes at the plate in the second game.

The Lady Colonels return to action on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. when they host Manhattanville in MAC Freedom action. Saturday will also serve as both senior day and alumni day, with a ceremony honoring the three graduating senior prior to game one and a ceremony welcoming back all alumni prior to game two.