SCRANTON, Pa. –The Wilkes University softball team traveled to the Electric City Wednesday afternoon, splitting a Landmark Conference doubleheader against the University of Scranton at Magis Field. Wilkes fell in game one 5-2 but dominated game two 14-2.

Wilkes ended the day 10-7 overall with a 5-1 mark in conference play, while Scranton fell to 12-6 overall and 4-2 against conference opposition.

Scranton opened game one with two runs in the bottom of the first, but after three scoreless innings the Colonels clawed back a run as Olivia Dougher (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) scored on a sacrifice fly from Hana Cross (Kendall Park, NJ/South Brunswick). In the sixth, Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) smacked a stand-up triple to left field before Paige Randazzo (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) brought her home with a double to right center to tie the game at two.

A lightning delay stopped the game in the middle of the sixth, and when the teams returned to the field, the Royals scored three runs to take the first game of the day 5-2.

Butka (3-3) pitched a complete game, allowing five earned runs through six innings of work with two strikeouts. Randazzo led the Colonels with two doubles and an RBI.

Emma Douglas (5-1) took the win in the circle, allowing two runs with one strikeout. Kylie Rochford went 4-4 at the plate with one RBI.

The Royals once again struck first in game two, driving in one run, but the Colonels responded in the top of the second as Talia Piragas (Old Forge, PA/Old Forge) cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field that gave the Colonels a 3-1 lead.

Wilkes carried the momentum into the third inning, scoring five more runs to extend their lead to 8-1. Kayla Burleson (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) opened the scoring as she reached on an error that scored Butka, followed by a sacrifice fly by Allyson Stafursky (Eynon, PA/Valley View) a few batters later to add another run. In the next at-bat, Maddy Maloney (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) hit a ball up the middle that scored Burleson and then stole second which allowed Dougher to reach home. Piragas picked up her fourth RBI of the day with a single to first base, bringing home Maloney and giving the Colonels a seven-run cushion.

The hosts picked up one run in the bottom of the third to make it an 8-2 game, but the Colonel offense kept rolling with six more runs in the top of the fourth. Dougher opened the inning's scoring as she brought home Butka on a single to the shortstop. Maloney then picked up two more RBIs with a double to right center, followed by a Cross double to left center that made it a 12-2 contest. Piragas then singled to left field to bring home the fifth run of the inning and advanced to third on a throwing error, scoring on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.

A quiet fifth inning for both teams saw the game end with a mercy rule, giving the Colonels an emphatic 14-2 win.

Tessa Stafursky (Eynon, PA/Valley View) (1-1) picked up the victory in the circle for Wilkes, allowing two runs (one earned) with one strikeout through five innings. Piragas was perfect at the plate, recording a base hit in all four at-bats with five RBIs. Maloney and Butka also recorded three hits, with Maloney picking up 3 RBIs and Butka tallying two doubles.

Emma Tirollo (5-1) was handed her first loss of the year, allowing seven runs (six earned) in two innings with two strikeouts. On offense, Alyssa Mosconi led the team with three hits and two RBIs.

The Colonels remain on the road for their next contest, a Landmark Conference doubleheader at Juniata on Saturday, April 5. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.