MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Wilkes softball team continued its dominant start to the season, defeating Bay Path University and Saint Elizabeth University in Saturday's matchups in South Carolina.

With the two victories, the Colonels improve to 4-0 on the season. Bay Path moves to 0-1 overall, while Saint Elizabeth falls to 0-2.

Game 1: Wilkes 5, Bay Path 1
Wilkes struck first, manufacturing an early lead in the opening inning. Talia Piragas (Old Forge, PA/Old Forge) singled to right field to move Hana Cross (Kendall Park, NJ/South Brunswick) to third, and Cross capitalized on the throw to second, racing home to give the Colonels the first run of the game. Abby Williams (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Holy Redeemer) followed with a single to center field, driving in Piragas and Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) to cap a three-run first inning.

Both teams held each other in check through the fourth, but Samantha Petersen (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) extended Wilkes' lead with an RBI single to left field that brought Piragas around to score. Bay Path responded in the bottom half of the inning when Ansley Morrison crossed the plate on a hit by Madison Tessmer, cutting into the deficit.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Wilkes added an insurance run off Williams' third hit of the game to stretch the advantage. Lauren DeMarco (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) shut the door in the final frame, retiring the last three Bay Path batters on pop outs to secure the 5-1 victory.

DeMarco earned her first win of the season for the Colonels, tossing a complete game while allowing just one run on three hits and striking out nine. Madison Sunderland took the loss, surrendering five runs on 11 hits.

Game 2: Wilkes 8, St. Elizabeth 0
In the second game of the day, Saint Elizabeth recorded the first hits as Jayden Barker and Josilynn Garcia singled to the outfield to put runners in scoring position. However, Mia Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) worked out of the early threat, striking out the final batter of the inning to keep the game scoreless.

Maddy Maloney (Scranton, PA/Lackawanna College) sparked the Wilkes offense in the bottom half of the inning with a double to right field, but the Colonels were unable to capitalize as the first ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Wilkes' defense continued to shut down the Eagles, and the offense soon found its rhythm, erupting for five runs. The rally began when Williams lined a shot to right field and advanced to second on a single through the right side by Paige Randazzo (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg). Olivia Dougher (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) moved the runners with a single, and Williams took advantage of a throwing error to score the game's first run. Cross followed with a double to right-center to plate another run, and Allyson Stafursky (Eynon, PA/Valley View) added to the surge with a sacrifice fly to left. Maloney recorded her second hit of the game with an RBI to the right side and later came around to score following an Eagle error to cap the inning.

After a three-up, three-down top of the third, Wilkes added another run before extending the lead further in the fourth. Butka delivered an RBI single to the left side, scoring Cross and Maloney to push the advantage to 8-0. Isabella Hanos attempted to spark a rally for Saint Elizabeth with a single to third, but Randazzo cut it short by throwing her out on a stolen base attempt. The Colonels retired the next two batters to seal the 8-0 victory.

Butka earned her first win of the season in dominant fashion, pitching a complete-game shutout while allowing six hits and striking out four. Kara Reyes took the loss for the Eagles, surrendering eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits.

Wilkes continues its play Tuesday, March 3, where they face Grove City and SUNY-Delhi at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on field eight of the North Myrtle Beach Complex. The Colonels will also play an exhibition match against Wilson College following those matches at 2:00 p.m. on field eight.