CHESTER, Pa. (Apr. 6, 2016) – Sophomore Katie Rabuck (Hegins, Pa.) did not allow an earned run over five innings of relief in the circle and junior Bree VanReenen (Elkton, Md.) hit a walk-off single in the nightcap to help the Widener University softball team complete a doubleheader sweep of Alvernia on Wednesday evening. The Pride were victorious in the opener, 2-1, before rallying from behind to capture the second game by a 7-6 decision in eight innings and extend their winning streak to 11 straight games.
 
Alvernia plated two runs in the second and third innings to take a commanding 4-1 advantage in the nightcap. Taylor Malinish hit a two-run triple to put the visitors on the board before Morgan Petry blasted a two-run double to the same spot one frame later.
 
Sophomore Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.), however, began the Widener rally by providing instant offense with a two-run homer to left field that also plated senior Alie Alkins (Aston, Pa.) to make it 4-3 through three frames. The comeback then continued in the bottom of the fifth with the Pride facing two outs and a two-run deficit, as Alkins singled through the left side and Sterling added a clutch two-run triple down the line in right to tie the score at 5-all. Senior Heather Forward (Philadelphia, Pa.) then singled up the middle to put the Pride ahead for the first time.
 
Alvernia (9-13, MAC Commonwealth 2-6) tacked on another run when Mckenzie Miessau reached on an infield error in the top of the sixth to eventually force extra innings. The Crusaders threatened multiple times to go ahead, but sophomore second baseman Lauren DelRomano (Broomall, Pa.) and Alkins most notably had a hand in two key defensive plays to keep the Crusaders from regaining the lead. DelRomano started a 4-6-3 double play in the top of the seventh before covering a lot of ground to glove a hard-hit ball up the middle by Miessau and flipping it over to Alkins at second to get Brianna DePriest out on a force.
 
The Pride used the momentum gained from the final play in the top of the eighth to win it in the bottom half of the same frame. After junior Devin Coyne (Chesapeake, Va.) drew a walk on a full count to load the bases with nobody out, VanReenen sliced a single through the left side which sent Forward to the dish for the winning run in walk-off fashion.
 
Rabuck earned the hard-fought victory for Widener and improved her record to 3-0 this season. She allowed four hits and two runs, which were both unearned, while striking out three over five innings of relief. Brittanie Wolf suffered the loss after surrendering four hits and three runs, which were all earned, and issuing three walks.
 
The opener was highlighted by a pitcher's duel and back-and-forth battle between the squads. VanReenen, who drove in a combined three runs in the two games, drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Pride on the board first in the bottom of the second, but the Crusaders answered right back when Amanda Turner doubled to right center in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Despite allowing its slim lead to slip away, Widener answered right back in its half of the fourth inning. Senior Taylor Church (Glen Mills, Pa.) started the frame with a double to right center, advanced to third on a groundout and then came home safely by beating a throw home that came off the bat of VanReenen. Junior Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, N.J.) then closed the door by only allowing one Crusader batter to reach base the rest of the way.
 
By going the distance in the circle, Schengrund earned the victory and improved her ledger to 9-1 this spring. She allowed just two hits and one run while striking out five. Alvernia's Wolfe suffered the loss after giving up four hits and two runs, which were both earned, and issuing three walks.
 
Widener (17-3, MAC Commonwealth 6-2) will put its double-digit winning streak on the line when it travels to face Stevenson for a twinbill on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.