WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson softball team lost both games in its doubleheader to Saint Vincent, 2-0 and 15-8, on Sunday afternoon, April 9, in Presidents' Athletic Conference action.
 
After giving up three runs in each of the first two innings in the second game, the Presidents started to put a dent in the Bearcats' lead in the bottom of the third when Dana Parker (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) singled to center to score Meghan Staab (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) followed by an RBI double to center from Abby Cunningham (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township).
 
The Presidents were able to put another two runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Staab reached on a dropped fly ball by the shortstop, scoring Jamie Smith (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park). Staab then came around to score thanks to an RBI triple to center field by Rachel Marx (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) as the Presidents trailed just 6-4 after four innings.
 
After the Bearcats responded in the top of the fifth with six runs on six hits to take a commanding 12-4 lead, the Presidents continued to fight in the bottom half of the inning when two runs came across the plate on a dropped fly ball by the Bearcats' right fielder (12-6). Another run came in just one batter later on another dropped fly ball, this time from the shortstop.
 
Both teams failed to score in the sixth but Saint Vincent tacked on three insurance runs on four hits in the top of the seventh before Danielle Kochka (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) drove in the game's final run in the bottom of the inning, giving the Presidents' a season-high eight runs.
 
The Presidents were limited to no runs and five hits in game one of the doubleheader as Saint Vincent's Samantha Emert pitched her way to a 2-0 win.
 
Cunningham totaled four hits in seven at bats between the two games, including a double, to go along with an RBI and a run scored. Her four hits today gives Cunningham 125 in her career which moves her into a tie for tenth place with current assistant coach Madison Rotto on the program's all-time hit list.
 
Marx went 3-for-5 in the second game with a triple, an RBI and a run scored while Kochka and Parker totaled two hits on the day.
 
Kristen Fuertes (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) took the loss on the mound in the first game as she pitched a complete game and gave up one earned run with no walks and a strikeout. She also pitched 3.1 innings in a relief appearance in the second game, entering in the second inning with one out for Taylor Andres (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park).
 
The Presidents will be back in action on Monday, April 10, when they travel for a road PAC doubleheader at Geneva, beginning at 3:30 p.m.