HOBOKEN, NJ – The Wilkes University softball team dropped both games during a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) doubleheader at Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday afternoon. The Ducks took game one 7-5 and game two 10-2 in five innings.
 
The Colonels finish the season 18-18 overall and 3-13 in the MAC Freedom. The Ducks move to 18-18 on the season and 10-6 in conference play, earning the fourth seed in the upcoming MAC Freedom tournament.
 
Wilkes took and held an early lead, scoring four runs in the first two innings while Stevens was not able to score. The first run came after Nicole Howell (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock Area) singled to left field, batting in Haylee Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area). The second run came when Kayla Burleson (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) singled to center field, batting in Hannah Boyd (Escalon, CA/Escalon). Burleson then was able to score after a wild pitch. The only run of the second inning came after Hannah Cross doubled to left center, allowing Taylor Douple (Fredericksburg, PA/Northern Lebanon) to make it home.
 
Stevens cut the Colonels' lead to two after scoring twice in the third inning. The fourth inning was scoreless for both teams.
 
The Colonels expanded their lead by one during the fifth inning when AJ Bryfogle (Easton, PA/Easton Area) singled up the middle batting in Howell. Wilkes led Stevens 5-2 after the top of the fifth inning.
 
The Ducks then went on to score twice in the bottom of the fifth and three times in the bottom of the sixth, taking the lead over the Colonels 7-5. Wilkes was unable to score again in the game.
 
Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) (7-6) pitched all six innings for the Colonels and took a loss on the game. DeMarco threw a career high 126 pitches earning three strikeouts and allowing 10 hits and seven runs.
 
In the second game, Stevens was able to score eight runs by the bottom of the third inning, creating a lead that Wilkes could not catch.
 
The Colonels earned one run in the third inning and one run in the fourth. The first run came after Howell singled to left field, batting in Carly Endres (Vineland, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick). The second run was from Mirissa Pick after Evan Sherrick (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) grounded out to second base.
 
Stevens went on to score two runs in the top of the fourth and claimed game two 10-2 in the fifth inning.
 
Hope Mullins (Midland, VA/Liberty) (2-7) started pitching for the Colonels for 2.1 innings. Mullins took the loss on the game and had 73 pitches with one strikeout, six hits, and eight runs. Sami Hendershott (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) pitched next for Wilkes for 1.1 innings, throwing 24 pitches with three hits and two runs. Bella Peters (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) finished out the game for the Colonels pitching 0.1 innings throwing five pitches and earning one strikeout.
 
The Colonels concluded their season following their doubleheader at Stevens, as well as concluded play in the MAC Freedom as Wilkes University moves to the Landmark Conference for the fall.