GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College softball team (14-18, 7-11) registered a road sweep of Thiel College (9-21, 3-15) behind 21 runs and 26 hits across the Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader in Mercer County. The Presidents took an early lead en route to a 5-2 victory in game one. W&J used a seven-run seventh inning to secure game two by a 16-11 tally for the sweep.

Game One – W&J 5, Thiel 2

Freshman pitcher Braelyn Altman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) tossed seven strong innings to help the Presidents claim the game one victory. Altman allowed two runs on seven hits as she improved her record to 6-8 in her rookie season.

Senior outfielder Julia DiPietro-Harvey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) led the way with three hits and two runs scored. Her classmate, shortstop Hannah Allen (Harrison City, Pa./Penn Trafford) produced two hits and two RBI in the victory.

The Presidents scored all five of their runs over the first two innings. The Red and Black plated a pair of runs in the top of the first, as Harvey led off with a single before scoring on an RBI double by sophomore Sydney VanNess (Warren, Ohio/Howland). Allen added an RBI double to left center a batter later, stretching the lead to 2-0. The Tomcats responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half to even the score at 2-2.

W&J took the lead for good with three runs on three hits in the top of the second. All three runs during the frame crossed the plate with two outs. Back-to-back singles by sophomore Anna Luxenberger (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) and DiPietro-Harvey set the table. VanNess drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. A pair of wild pitches scored DiPietro-Havey and Luxenberger. An RBI single by Allen scored VanNess to extend the lead to 5-2.

Altman made that lead stand up, as neither team scored the rest of the way. The Tomcats put runners into scoring position in three of the final four innings. However, Altman was able to avoid any damage, escaping each time.


Game Two – W&J 16, Thiel 11

A fast start and a strong finish was the story of an 16-11 game two victory. W&J raced out to an early 8-1 lead before eventually rallying with seven runs in the final inning to take a 16-11 win.

DiPietro-Harvey and junior Mirranda Rinehart (Washington, Pa./Trinity) finished with three hits apiece to pace the offensive efforts. VanNess, Allen, Luxenberger and sophomore Savannah Bodnar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) all finished with two hits apiece as the Presidents finished with a season-high 16 hits.

The Presidents used a seven-run second inning to push out to an 8-1 lead. Allen and Luxenberger produced RBI singles during the frame. However, the biggest hit of the inning came from Bodnar, who ripped a two-run triple down the left field line.

The Tomcats scored five runs in the bottom of the third and added three runs in the fourth to push into the lead at 9-8. The Presidents evened the score at nine all on an RBI single by VanNess in the fifth inning.

Thiel appeared poised to take game two following a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. However, the Presidents took advantage of a pair of Tomcat errors and scored seven times in the seventh. A two-run single by VanNess evened the score at 11. Allen followed with an RBI single, which gave the Presidents the lead for good. Rinehart, Luxenberger and DiPietro-Garvey tacked on RBI singles to extend the advantage to 16-11 by the end of the top half of the seventh.

Freshman pitcher Haylee Young (Zanesville, Ohio/John Glenn) picked up the victory in relief, as she worked the final 1.1 innings of relief scoreless out of the bullpen. Sophomore Macayle Thornhill (Warren, Ohio/Jackson-Milton) and senior Kaylee Witner (Freeland, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) worked prior to Young in the circle.

After back-to-back days with road doubleheaders, the Presidents head into the final week of the regular season. W&J heads to Allegheny on Tuesday (April 21). First pitch for the conference twinbill is scheduled for 3 p.m.