READING, Pa. – The Wilkes University softball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader at Penn State University Berks on Saturday afternoon falling 4-3 in game one and 3-2 in game two.

The Colonels fall to 5-3 at the end of the day, while the Nittany Lions improve to 3-5 on the year.

Wilkes' offense came out swinging in the first inning of game one, as Hayden Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area) brought home Hannah Boyd (Escalon, CA/Escalon) on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. Haylee Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area) brought home her sister along with Nicole Howell (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock Area) on a double to left center field to put the Colonels up 3-0 heading to the bottom of the inning.

Penn State Berks responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, going into the second inning down 3-2.

The Nittany Lions added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-3 lead that they would hold until the end of the game.

Starting pitcher Hope Mullins (Midland, VA/Liberty) (1-1) took her first loss of the season on seven hits through three innings pitched, allowing four runs with one strikeout. Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) pitched three innings allowing three hits, no runs, and two strikeouts.

Hayl. Calaman went 2-3 with the aforementioned RBI double, while her sister Hayden and Boyd also went 2-3 in the game.

Paige Brightwell (2-4) earned the win in a complete game effort, allowing eight hits with three strikeouts. Peyton Vivian went 2-3 with an RBI double, while Ashley Thomas had two RBIs going 1-2 at the plate.

Game two started much more defensive than its predecessor, as both teams went scoreless through three innings. Hana Cross (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) opened the scoring with a blast to left field for her first home run of the season to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the frame. Berks responded with three runs on three RBI doubles to take a 3-1 lead at the end of the fourth.

Cross gave the spectators a moment of déjà vu with her second home run of the day in the top of the sixth, once again driven to deep left field to bring the deficit down to one run. Unfortunately for the Colonels, the Nittany Lion defense held firm and they took their second win of the day 3-2.  

Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) (1-2) pitched a complete game in the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Cross went 2-2 in game two, with her two home runs the only hits for the Colonels.

Mallory Duff (2-0) pitched a complete game as well allowing only the two home runs along with two strikeouts. Duff also went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI double.

The Colonels are back in action on Friday, March 22^nd as they welcome Lancaster Bible College to the Ralston Athletic Complex for their first home games of the year. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and game two is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.