SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Senior Kylie Russell (Cogan Station, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) threw a four-hit shutout, striking out eight to keep the Lycoming College softball team in position to earn one of the five berths into the Landmark Conference Championship, as Lycoming split a conference twinbill with Susquehanna University on Friday afternoon, May 3, winning 3-0 in the nightcap after falling 2-0 in the first game.
The Warriors finished the regular season 15-14 overall and 8-8 in the Landmark Conference, which leaves them in the fifth and final spot in the conference standings with important doubleheaders between Juniata (18-15, 10-4) and Catholic (25-13, 8-6) and Wilkes (21-13, 7-7) and Drew (20-16, 6-8) still on the docket this weekend. Moravian has clinched the top seed with a 13-3 Landmark record, while Juniata and Susquehanna (19-17 overall, 9-7 Landmark) have also clinched bids, leaving Catholic, Wilkes and Drew vying with Lycoming for the final two slots in the championship.
Russell (9-5) was brilliant in a must-win game for the Warriors, allowing four hits and two walks in her second shutout of the year. Just one runner reached third base, in the fourth inning, when she struck out two batters to escape a second- and third-jam with one out. She retired the last seven batters she faced, striking out the first two batters in the seventh.
Sophomore Claire Alexander (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport Area) reached on a walk to lead off the game, stole second and scored on an error that allowed senior Kylie Segraves (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) to reach second before taking third on an error and scoring on a sac fly from senior Rachel DeWolfe (New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff).
Lycoming tacked on a run in the seventh, as sophomore Hailee Sobieski (Wharton, N.J./Morris Catholic) singled with one out before moving to second on a walk and scoring when Alexander singled down the line.
Alexander led the Warrior offense, which had five hits, going 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Hannah Foust (0-6) took the loss, allowing a hit and no earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
In the first game, Brianna Jones (13-6) threw a four-hit shutout, striking out eight as Susquehanna scored once in the fifth and sixth innings in a 2-0 win.
Hannah Roland broke the tie with an RBI single in the fifth and Katelyn Dugery had an RBI single in the sixth. Stevie Shaak led the River Hawks, going 3-for-3.
Junior Avery Eiswerth (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) (6-7) threw six innings, allowing eight hits and two runs. She struck out five and walked one.
