Susquehanna Sweeps Royals To Lock Up Top Seed For Next Weekend's Landmark Conference Tournament
SELINSGROVE, Pa.—Behind two clutch pitching performances by junior Sarah Hoffman (Laceyville, Pa./Wyalusing Valley) and freshman Morgan Lewis (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), Susquehanna University locked up the top seed in the upcoming Landmark Conference tournament by sweeping The University of Scranton Saturday afternoon at Sassafras Field.
In the first game, Hoffman out-dueled Royal senior pitcher Christine Capalbo (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) and the Crusaders added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a 2-0 victory.
Hoffman struck out five and allowed only three hits while improving to 7-4 on the season. Capalbo, who scattered only four hits and allowed just one earned run, lost for the only the second time this year and fell to 13-2.
Senior Courtney Miller (Kendell Park, NJ/South Brunswick) started the sixth-inning heroics for Susquehanna with a pinch-hit single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Alyssa Cantalini (Kitchener, Ontario/St. David Catholic Secondary), advanced to third on a single by freshman Brianna Murphy (Hazlet, NJ/Mater Dei), and scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Kathryn Gilbert (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley).
Seniors Kelly Zaccheo (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) and Nina Bruno (Teaneck, NJ/Academy of Holy Angels) and sophomore Caitlin McHenry (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) each had a single for Royals.
In the nightcap, Lewis struck out four and allowed just four hits as Susquehanna completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory.
The Crusaders took a 2-0 lead on an RBI triple by Gilbert and an RBI double by sophomore Brittany Devlin (Furlong, Pa./Central Bucks East) in the second inning and Cantalini added an RBI single for an insurance run in the fifth.
Scranton finally broke through on the offensive end in the fourth inning when McHenry belted a double down the left-field line that scored pinch-runner Blaire Wilkie (Kulpsville, Pa./North Penn). Zaccheo finished with two hits and junior Jamie Shackles (Philadelphia, Pa./Little Flower) and senior Ashley Vosilla (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West) contributed one apiece.
Susquehanna, now 23-11, will host the Landmark Conference tournament for the first time in the league's five-year history. The previous four tournaments were held at Moravian College in Bethlehem.
Scranton, now 23-7 and 5-5 in the Landmark, will face second-seeded Moravian next Friday in an opening round game. Susquehanna will meet Catholic University in the other opening round game.
