MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Wilkes University softball team concluded its Spring Break Trip Friday at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic by splitting a pair of contests. The Lady Colonels lost by a 2-0 score Friday morning to Gwynedd Mercy University before shutting out La Roche College 5-0 in the afternoon.

Wilkes heads back to campus with a 6-4 overall record including a 5-3 mark in Myrtle Beach.

Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) (3-1) went the full seven innings allowing a season low three hits in the shutout victory in game two against La Roche (5-4). She stuck out three and faced only three batters in three of the seven innings.

The Lady Colonels started fast to give Staunton the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) reached with a single and then moved to third when she stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Redhawks catcher. Celine Podlesney (Hazle Twp., PA/Hazleton) then provided a two-out RBI single to bring Kondras across the plate for the 1-0 lead.

Wilkes added its second run in the fourth inning when Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) scored Podlesney with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The lead increased to 4-0 when Wilkes scored two more runs in the top of the fifth. Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) singled to bring in Britny Jumalon (Torrance, CA/Torrance) for the first run and then Kondras scored when Podlesney reached on an error by the pitcher for the second run.

The Lady Colonels added another insurance run in the seventh inning when Kaliyah Moore (South Williamsport, PA/Williamsport) singled home pinch runner Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) with two outs.

Moore went 3-4 with an RBI and Kondras, Gibson, and Podlesney all were 2-4 at the plate with Podlesney driving in a team-high two runs.

In game one Gwynedd Mercy (6-1) used a run in the third and another in the sixth to back a strong pitching performance to defeat Wilkes. The Griffins used two different pitchers to limit the Lady Colonels to three hits.

The Lady Colonels biggest threat came in their final at-bat when Podlesney led off with a walk. Moore then reached on an error when she sacrificed Podlesney to second with a bunt but then the Griffins escaped the threat with a double play and a groundout to third to end the game.

Podlesney (2-3) pitched well in the loss as she struck out four and gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk in six innings.

Gibson led the way offensively collecting two of the three hits for the Lady Colonels while Jumalon singled in the third inning.

The Lady Colonels are set to return home from their southern trip and have their home opener scheduled for Thursday, March 14 with game one of a doubleheader against Penn College set to start at 4:00 p.m. at the Ralston Athletic Complex.