SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College softball team was swept by Keystone College in its United East Conference-Skye Division opener at Hillside Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Giants took game one by a 5-0 final and then doubled up the Falcons in game two, 6-3.

Game One – Keystone 5, Cedar Crest 0
Keystone struck for two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Elle Olivero (Levittown, Pa.) doubled to left field, which scored first-year Karina Jennings (Milltown, N.J.). Senior Angelina Morley (Deposit, N.Y.) closed the scoring in the frame with a base-knock to left field, bringing around Olivero to give the Giants a 2-0 advantage.

The home team tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning. Junior Hanaje Riley (Allentown, Pa.) started the scoring with a solo home run to left field. Senior Isabella Mandarano (Dunmore, Pa.) then connected on a two-run home run to left field to make it a 5-0 score, the eventual final.

Senior Courtney Cienki (West Milford, N.J.) was credited with the win in the circle for Keystone. She tossed a two-hit shutout over seven innings while striking out 14.

Senior Corinne Mundy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush) gave up five runs on 10 hits while fanning two in the loss for the Falcons.

Sophomore Natalie Hasert (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) led Cedar Crest at the plate, going 2-for-3.

Olivero, Riley, and sophomore Emily Schultz (Tunkhannock, Pa.) tallied two hits apiece for the Giants.

Game Two – Keystone 6, Cedar Crest 3

Keystone got on the board with a pair of runs in the first inning to snag a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons pushed three runs across in the third frame to grab the advantage. Junior Alex Mullen (Prospect Park, Pa./Interboro) connected a single down the right field line, which plated Hasert. Junior Alexis Kline (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter) brought home a pair of runs with a double to right center field. The two-bagger scored Mullen and first-year Kate Gronkowski (Hanover Township, Pa./Hanover Area Junior Senior) to make the score 3-2 in favor of Cedar Crest.

That score held until the Giants recorded four runs in the sixth to regain the lead, 6-3, which turned out to be final score.

Cienki secured her second win of the day, tossing 3.1 innings, not allowing a run. The senior struck out five and walked just one.

Junior BB Aquila (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) was tagged with the loss for the Falcons. She surrendered six runs on 14 hits.

Sophomore Isabella Benitez (East Windsor, N.J.) guided Keystone at the dish, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Cedar Crest collected a season-high 12 hits in the nightcap. Gronkowski led the way with a 3-for-4 game with one run scored. Hasert followed by going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Mullen and senior Kristina Cagle (Pittsgrove, N.J./Arthur P. Schalick) had two hits each while Kline, sophomore Taylor Faw (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie), and junior Anaya Duncan (Baltimore, Md./Franklin) chipped in one each.

Cedar Crest (0-10 overall, 0-2 United East-Skye Division) will host Notre Dame of Maryland University in its home opener on Thursday, April 4 in a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. Keystone (4-8 overall, 2-0 United East-Skye Division) will stay home and play host to Rosemont College in a conference twinbill beginning at 3:00 p.m.

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