EDWARDSVILLE – Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) exploded for three home runs and nine RBI's to power the Wilkes University softball team to a double header sweep of Eastern University, taking game one 8-0 in six innings before taking game two 6-5 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lady Colonels improved to 3-1 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) games and 11-5 overall.

Gambino accounted for seven of eight runs in game one, blasting a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth and a three run homer in bottom of the sixth. Mia Lussier (Somerset, MA/Somerset Berkley) ended the contest in the sixth with a dribbler single that the pitcher was unable to make a play on.

Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) earned her fifth win of the season, going the distance while giving up just three hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

Staunton (2-3, two runs) and Caitlin Brown (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) (2-3, two runs) also led at the plate.

In game two, Eastern crossed the plate first with a two-run homer in the top of the first inning.

The Lady Colonels responded in the bottom of the inning with five runs. Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) ripped an RBI double to bring home Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) after Kondras led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Britny Jumalon (Torrance, CA/Torrance), and third. Staunton followed with an RBI single to right and advanced to second on a passed ball before coming around on a double from Brown to chase the Eagles starter in the circle. Gambino then welcomed the reliever, who was the game one starter, with a two run home run to increase the advantage to 5-2.

Wilkes added a sixth run in the third when Gibson hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Nicolette Kessler (Bangor, PA/Bangor).

The Eagles made life uneasy for the Lady Colonels, however, recording a run in the top of the fourth, one in the top of the fifth, and two in the top of the seventh before Gambino slammed the door in relief to earn her first save of the season.

Celine Podlesney (Hazle Twp., PA/Hazleton) notched her third win of the year after allowing four runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Gambino finished the final 2.1 innings with one run on no hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Kondras (2-3, one run), Gibson (2-3, one run, two RBI's), Brown (2-4, one run, one RBI) and Podlesney (2-3) each finished with multiple hits in the second game.

The Lady Colonels return to action on Thursday when they head to Delaware Valley for a MAC Freedom doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.