CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – A three-run home run by Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) helped the Wilkes softball team to a non-conference road split at DeSales University on Sunday afternoon, falling 7-0 in game one at McGettigan Park and winning game two 5-3.

The Colonels move to 19-11 overall on the year, while DeSales end the day with a 22-10 record.

DeSales opened the game with two runs in the first inning, taking an early lead on the Colonels. Wilkes' defense held firm the next three innings, as did the Bulldogs, until the fifth inning where DeSales added five more, including a three-run home run, to take the 7-0 victory.

Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) (3-6) was given the loss, allowing six earned runs on nine hits through 4.1 innings of work. Haylee Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area), Hayden Calaman (Elizabethtown, PA/Elizabethtown Area), and Olivia Dougher (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) were the only three Colonels to register hits in the day's first game.

Rachel Lowry (13-4) pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits through seven innings with four strikeouts. Alexys Vernier finished the day 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs.

The Bulldogs opened the second game the same way they did the first, picking up one run on a sacrifice fly, and added to their lead in the third with one more to take a 2-0 lead.
Wilkes' offense responded in the top of the fourth, as Evan Sherrick (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) scored on a throwing error. Then, Butka gave the Colonels the lead in emphatic fashion with a three-run bomb to left center field to make it a 4-2 game.

In the fifth inning, Dougher added another run to the Colonel lead with a single to right field that scored Hana Cross (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) to give Wilkes a 5-2 lead.

Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) took the mound in the sixth inning in relief of Sami Hendershott (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley), and DeSales scored one run off the sophomore in the frame to close the gap to 5-3. However the Colonel defense shut down any flames of a comeback, and DeMarco earned her third save of the week as the blue and gold took game two.

Sami Hendershott (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) (6-1) picked up the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits through five innings with one strikeout. DeMarco struck out five batters allowing only one run on two hits in her two innings of relief. Dougher led Wilkes at the plate going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Starter Riley Long (1-1) was given the loss, allowing four earned runs on five hits through 3.1 innings with one strikeout. Vernier went 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead the Bulldog offense in game two as well.

The Colonels return to action on Wednesday, April 24 as they travel to cross-town rival King's College for a doubleheader with the Monarchs. First pitch of game one is set for 3:00 p.m.