EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University softball team earned a non-conference doubleheader split against the University of Scranton Tuesday evening at the Ralston Athletic Complex after suffering a game one loss where it was one out from victory. The Lady Colonels dropped game one 5-3 in eight innings before rebounding nicely with a 9-1 six-inning victory in game two.

Wilkes stands at 21-15 overall while Scranton is 27-7 after the split.

The Royals got on the board in the top of the first inning of game two on a leadoff double, a ground out and a sacrifice fly.

The Wilkes bats started to heat up in the bottom of the fourth inning with two runs on four hits. Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) started the inning with a single to center field and moved to second on a Britny Jumalon (Torrance, CA/Torrance) sacrifice bunt. Celine Podlesney (Hazle Twp., PA/Hazleton) then provided a two-out RBI single through the left side to score Kondras. Podlesney had advanced to second on the throw home and Sydney Cogswell (Apalachin, NY/Vestal) entered to pinch run for her. Gracen Staunton (Kernersville, NC/Northwest Guilford) then singled through the left side to score Cogswell and put Wilkes ahead 2-1.

Staunton then sat down the Royals in order to get the Lady Colonels right back to the plate where they struck for six runs on seven hits and one error in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-1 advantage. Haley Boyd (Escalon, CA/Escalon) began the big inning with a single and Megan Magoon (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) followed with another base hit. Mia Lussier (Somerset, MA/Somerset Berkley) then singled up the middle to load the bases and Sarah Birchmeier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) did the same to bring in two runs with Boyd and Magoon scoring. Sarah Gibson (Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley) also singled up the middle for the fifth straight hit that brought in Lussier and Birchmeier. Staunton then reached with a single and Christina Gambino (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) knocked a two-run single that scored Erika Gerace (Orwigsburg, PA/Blue Mountain), who pinch ran for Gibson, and Staunton to make it 8-1.

Lussier reached with an infield single to shortstop with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning and then advanced to second on Birchmeier's sacrifice bunt. After Gibson walked, Podlesney knocked a single to left center to bring in Lussier and end game two by the run-rule at 9-1.

Podlesney (2-for-4, 2 RBI's), Staunton (2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run), and Lussier (2-for-2, 2 runs) finished game two with multiple hits as the Lady Colonels registered 13 in the game.

Staunton (9-3) earned the victory going six innings and allowing one earned run on just three hits and two walks with one strikeout.

In game one, the Royals scored two first inning runs on three hits and an error for a quick start at the plate. The Lady Colonels would answer in the bottom of the second inning with two runs of their own. Gambino reached with a two-out single to center field. Haley Welker (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) then singled down the right field line and continued to second on the throw that Gambino beat out to end up safe at third. The base knock was the 100^th career hit for the junior. Boyd then followed with a two-run single down the right field line to score Gambino and Welker.

After Podlesney sat down Scranton in order for the first time in the top of the third Wilkes was able to take the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Gibson reached with a one-out single to left and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Staunton. Podlesney then hit an RBI single through the right side that scored Gibson and put the Lady Colonels ahead 3-2.

That score held until Scranton was able to tie the game with two outs in the top of the seventh inning on a single through the left side with runners at first and second. The game went to extra innings where Scranton was able to score two unearned runs in the top of the eighth on one hit and two errors to take a 5-3 lead. Wilkes was unable to answer in the bottom of the eighth as Scranton took game one.

Welker led Wilkes at the plate in game one going 2-for-3 with one run scored. Podlesney (6-10) took the loss in the circle going all eight innings. She gave up five runs (two earned) with two walks and three strikeouts as the Lady Colonels committed four errors.

Wilkes closes out the 2018 regular season with a conference doubleheader at DeSales University on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The Lady Colonels, who are 5-7 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom games, are in need of two wins and help from other teams to qualify for the conference tournament.