WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Senior Ashley Schoenstadt (Gap, Pa./Pequea Valley) lifted a full-count pitch to shallow right field, allowing senior Rachael Shady (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) to score from third base and walking off the Lycoming College softball team to a 4-3 eight-inning win over Wilkes University in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday evening, April 12, at the Shangraw Athletic Complex. The Warriors fell in the opener, 9-1.
 
Lycoming (7-15 overall) fell behind 3-0 after Wilkes (17-9 overall) scored a run in the second and added two more in the third. Momentum began to turn in the top of the fourth, though, when sophomore Darci Warriner (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro) turned a rare 7-4 double play. The Warriors began to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the inning with a full-count, two-out RBI double from Warriner that rolled to the centerfield fence, scoring sophomore Madison Brown (McElhattan, Pa./Lock Haven).
 
After making two tough defensive outs in the top of the sixth, freshman catcher Taylor Gessner (Lewisburg, Pa./Meadowbrook Christian) led off the bottom half of the inning with a first-pitch double to left field. Gessner advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Brown's sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
 
Wilkes had a two-out double in the top of the seventh, but were retired a pitch later to end the inning. Warriner led off the bottom of the seventh with a double, moved over to third on a fly out, and scored the game-tying run on sophomore Lydia Yorks' (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) 0-2, two-out single through the left side.
 
With a runner placed on second for the international tiebreaker rule in the eighth inning, Wilkes was retired in order with a pop up, strikeout and fly out.
 
The Warriors wasted little time with their opportunity in the bottom of the eighth after Shady was placed on second. Gessner reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt as Shady was safe at third with the slide, setting up Schoenstadt's game-winning sacrifice fly. 
 
Three of the Warriors' five hits came in the final three innings, led by two doubles, a run and RBI from Warriner. Yorks went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Gessner went 1-for-3 with a double and run.
 
Shady picked up her second win of the year with a tough effort, throwing all eight innings, giving up just two earned runs and stranding seven runners on base. She retired 14 of the final 16 batters she faced, including the last four.
 
Gracen Staunton went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Wilkes and Alexis Kessler went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Celine Podlesney pitched six innings of four-hit ball, giving up three runs and Christina Gambino pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, giving up a hit and run.
 
In the doubleheader opener, Wilkes jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two in the third before Brown got the Warriors on the board with an RBI single up the middle that scored Schoenstadt, after she reached base on her second walk.
 
Wilkes, though, added three runs in the fifth, two of which came on a two-run home run from Gambino, a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
 
Brown led the Warriors at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Shady, extending her hitting streak to six games, Gessner and junior Cayla Treaster (Williamsport, Pa./Montoursville Area) each picked up a hit.
 
Jordyn Kondras (3-for-4, two runs), Britny Jumalon (2-for-3, double, two runs, RBI), Sarah Gibson (2-for-3, double, run, RBI), Haley Welker (2-for-4, home run, two runs, two RBIs), Gracen Staunton (2-for-4, run, RBI) and Gambino (2-for-4, homerun, two RBIs) each had multiple hits for Wilkes.
 
Gambino earned the win, throwing seven innings of five-hit ball and striking out four.
 
Junior Liz Nace (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) pitched the first five innings for the Warriors and Shady relieved her for the final two innings.
 
The Warriors return to action on Saturday, April 14, when they host Arcadia University in a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader at the Shangraw Athletic Complex at 1 p.m.