CLERMONT, Fla. – A walk-off hit by Kristen Fuertes (West Chester, Pa./West Chester) lifted the W&J softball team to a dramatic 4-3 victory over Husson University. The win helped the Presidents to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Scranton University earlier Saturday afternoon.
 
Both games were played at the Legends Way Complex, as part of the Presidents' Spring Break annual trip to the PFX Spring Games.
 
Game 1 – Scranton 5, W&J 1
 
The Presidents opened the scoring against the Royals in the top of the first. W&J took advantage of three walks and a wild pitch that brought home Rachel Johnson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) to give the Red and Black a 1-0 lead. The Presidents had a chance to do more damage but left a pair of runners in scoring position. 
 
The Royals responded with three unearned runs in the bottom half of the frame, taking advantage of an error with two outs that extended the inning. Scranton tacked on another unearned run in the fourth inning and added another insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. 
 
Scranton, a team that tallied a school record 33 wins last year, provided a stiff test for W&J in game one. The Presidents struggled to muster much offense, tallying just one hit. That hit came from Johnson, who reached base all three times in the loss. 
 
Taylor Andres (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (one earned) in 6.0 innings of work in the circle. 
 
Game 2 – W&J 4, Husson 3
 
In game two, W&J took on Husson University, the reigning champions of the North Atlantic Conference. 
 
Fuertes was the story of the game for the Presidents against the Eagles, as the junior pitcher tossed 7.0 strong innings, allowing three runs (one earned) while scattering eight hits. 
 
After allowing an unearned run in the top of the first, Laura Ryder (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) delivered a clutch two-run single to score Johnson and Brooke McCleester (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley) to give W&J a 2-1 edge. With the bases loaded in the fourth, Johnson drew a walk to force in another run, stretching the lead to 3-1. 
 
Husson tacked on two more unearned runs to tie the game at 3-3 the sixth inning. After watching the Eagles load the bases with the game tied in the seventh, Fuertes escaped the jam with a 1-2-3 double play. 
 
That setup the opportunity for W&J to walk off in the bottom half of the inning. Brooke Stout (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area Senior) started the rally with a single before giving way to pinch runner Kala McCauley (Penn, Pa./Penn-Trafford). Fuertes then delivered the game-winning hit, bringing McCauley home with two outs in the seventh. 

Johnson reached base all seven times during the day, five times via the walk. Fuertes recorded the lone multi-hit effort in game two.
 
W&J returns to action Sunday (March 10) when they take on Finlandia University (4:15 p.m.) and Keene State (6:30 p.m.) in Minneola, Fla.