ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team completed a sweep of Wilson College to begin Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play on Sunday afternoon at Cynthia L. Blaschak Field. The Falcons took game one, 13-1, in five innings, before finishing the sweep with a 9-8 come-from-behind win in the nightcap.

Game One – Cedar Crest 13, Wilson 1 (Final/Five Innings)

Wilson tallied its lone run in the top of the first when junior Haley Privett (Fayetteville, Pa.) singled through the left side, scoring junior Alyssa Wenger (Chambersburg, Pa.) to give the Phoenix the 1-0 advantage.

Cedar Crest pushed a pair across in the home half of the first. First-year Natalie Hasert (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) delivered both runs on a two-run single to right field, sending home senior Renee
Snyder and graduate student Ashley Heller (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) to make the score 2-0.

After a scoreless second frame, the Falcons broke the game open in the third with six runs. Senior Brianna Lankford (Hanover, Pa./South Western Senior) started the scoring with a single to left center field, which was deep enough to plate Hasert. Sophomore Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter) continued the offense with a base-hit through the right side, bringing home graduate student Delaney VanBuskirk (Bridgeville, Del./Woodbridge) and senior Reilly Mateljan (Friedens, Pa./Somerset Area). Heller then got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to send home VanBuskirk. The strong inning continued when sophomore Alex Mullen (Prospect Park, Pa./Interboro) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to help score graduate student Rachel Savini (Wilmington, Del./Delaware Military Academy). Cedar Crest made the score 8-1 after Snyder hit a two-run triple to right field.

The Falcons then pushed across five more in the fourth. Kline drove a ball to left field, which was dropped. The miscue allowed VanBuskirk. Junior Kristina Cagle (Pittsgrove, N.J./Arthur P. Schalick) hit a single up the middle to bring home Savini. Heller then connected on a sacrifice fly to left field, which was deep enough to plate Kline. Snyder finished the scoring when she registered a two-run single through the left side to score Mullen and Cagle for the 13-1 final.

Junior Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) was credited with the triumph in the circle. She only surrendered one run on two hits, while striking out two and walking three over five innings. Senior Marina Monsalve (Corona, Calif.) was tagged with the loss for Wilson. She gave up two runs on three hits over 1.1 innings.

Snyder led Cedar Crest at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored. Hasert finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Kline was the last Falcon to record multiple hits in the win. She went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Wenger and Privett finished with a hit each for the Phoenix.

Game Two – Cedar Crest 9, Wilson 8

Wilson got the scoring started early in game two, pushing across three in the top of the first. Senior Alecia Hamilton (Canton, Ohio) drew a base-loaded walk to score Wenger while sophomore Ashley Stevens (Valencia, Calif.) drove in a pair with a two-run single to right center field to increase the margin to 3-0.

The Falcons got a run back in the home half of the first. Mullen scored on a fielder's choice by Hasert.

The Phoenix tacked on a single run in the second and third innings to stretch the margin to four, 5-1. M. Briggs crossed home on a groundout by junior Haiden Brookens (Fayetteville, Pa.) while sophomore Riley Henry (Carlisle, Pa.) scored on a sacrifice fly to left field.

Cedar Crest pulled even in the fourth, scoring four runs. Mateljan commenced the rally when she touched home after a fielding error. Heller then followed with a single through the right side to bring around Savini. A two-run single through the left side from Mullen tied the contest at five. Heller and Kline scored on the play.

The sixth inning featured seven total runs. Wilson re-gained the advantage with three runs. Brookens gave the Phoenix the lead when she scored on a fielding error. Wilson added another when Stewart crossed home on another fielding error. Stevens recorded the final tally for Wilson when she hit a single to short to score Henry to make the score 8-5.

The Falcons scored four in the bottom of the sixth to secure the lead. Cagle sent home Kline with a sacrifice bunt to start the scoring. Heller then scored on a fielding error. Snyder touched home on a single up the middle from Hasert to tie the game at eight. Cedar Crest plated the eventual game-winning run when Lankford reached base on a throwing error. The miscue allowed Hasert to cross home for the 9-8 score, the eventual final.

Mundy recorded her second win of the day in the circle. She gave up eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits. Mundy also had three strikeouts and five walks.

Senior Makenna Snodgrass (Flagstaff, Ariz.) was credited with the loss for the Phoenix. She allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits while walking one over two innings of relief.

Heller, Mullen, and Lankford finished with two hits apiece for the Falcons.

Stevens paced Wilson with a perfect 3-for-3 game with four RBI.

Cedar Crest (5-11 overall, 2-0 CSAC) will remain in conference play when the Falcons host Keystone College on Wednesday, April 5 in a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. Wilson (6-10 overall, 0-2 CSAC) will host Cairn University on Wednesday in a twinbill beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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