Softball | 4/27/2016 8:19:00 PM

Boxscore 1 | Boxscore 2 ASTON, Pa. (Apr. 27, 2016) – Sophomore Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.) went yard in the opener and drove in two runs in the nightcap to help lead the Widener University softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Neumann on Wednesday evening at Bruder Field. The Pride won by scores of 12-9 and 5-2.
 
Widener plated two runs in each of the first two innings and never looked back in the nightcap to complete the sweep. Senior Heather Forward (Philadelphia, Pa.) belted a two-run double down the line in right to open the scoring in the first before junior Liz Antonucci (Nesconset, N.Y.) and Sterling had RBI hits one frame later to give the Pride an early 4-1 lead.
 
The Knights attempted to rally and scored on a double to left center by Sarah Murray in the third to make it 4-2 in the fourth with one out, but Jackie Schneider lined into a double play to end the inning. Forward made the catch in left and threw out Murray to keep the Pride ahead, and Sterling drove home another run in the top of the sixth to produce the final outcome in a game that was called early due to darkness.
 
Sophomore Rabuck (Hegins, Pa.) pitched another gem for Widener and improved to 8-0 to keep her perfect record intact in the circle. She surrendered two hits and two runs, including one earned, while striking out four and walking two. Taylor Naman of Neumann suffered her first loss of the season after being lit up for six hits and four runs, which were all earned, over 1.2 frames.
 
The opener was a slugfest that lasted nearly three hours and featured multiple lead changes. Despite trailing by a 5-3 score through three innings, Widener answered with two runs in the fourth to tie the score and then exploded to plate seven in the top of the fifth. Sophomores Taylor Allen (Northeast, Md.) and Sterling each blasted three-run homers during the big inning, as Allen blasted the ball over the fence near the power alley in left center before Sterling hit a ball that barely stayed fair down the left field line.
 
Neumann (20-14), however, stormed back and scored three times in the sixth and once in the seventh. Schneider apparently would keep the seventh inning going by singling to left center, but Alie Alkins (Aston, Pa.) gunned down Murray attempting to come home by throwing a strike to catcher Maddie Kingbaum (Ashburn, Va.). The freshman quickly turned and applied the tag for the third out to end the marathon game.
 
Like Rabuck, junior Devin Coyne (Chesapeake, Va.) also remained undefeated in the circle this season and moved ahead to 3-0 by earning the victory for Widener. She pitched three innings of relief and registered three strikeouts. Neumann's Michaela Pembleton was charged with the loss after surrendering 10 hits and 12 runs, including six earned, over 4.2 frames.
 
Widener (29-7) will conclude the regular season when it hosts nationally-ranked Messiah on Saturday, Apr. 30 at 1:00 p.m. Seniors Taylor Church (Glen Mills, Pa.), Alkins and Forward will all be recognized for their contributions to the program prior to the first contest.