CHESTER, Pa. (Apr. 18, 2017) – Junior Taylor Allen (North East, Md.) blasted a grand slam in the opener and went yard again in the nightcap as the Widener University softball team swept a doubleheader against Penn State Brandywine on Tuesday afternoon. The Pride won by scores of 8-0 in six innings to begin the twinbill before capturing the nightcap by a 10-6 decision.
 
The floodgates opened in the Pride's favor during the bottom of the second. After senior Liz Antonucci (Nesconset, N.Y.) hit a bunt single to load the bases, Allen sent a rocket high and far over the fence in left that stayed fair to give the hosts a 4-0 cushion to work with. The hosts then added a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth to pad their lead, which was capped by a two-run single through the left side by junior Katie Sterling (Middletown, Del.) to end the game early due to the eight-run rule.
 
Senior Alexis Schengrund (Hillsborough, N.J.) hurled five shutout innings to pick up the victory for Widener and improve her record to 2-2. She yielded only two hits, fanned eight and did not issue a walk. Penn State Brandywine's Grace DeRosa suffered the loss after giving up eight runs, which were all earned, along with eight hits over five and one-third frames.
 
Widener built up a 4-0 lead through four innings. Allen sparked the offense and opened the scoring in the second frame for the second straight game by doubling in Antonucci with a shot to the power alley in left center before going yard with a solo blast in the fourth.
 
Penn State Brandywine (15-11) scored three times in the top of the fifth to slash the deficit down to one, but the Pride responded with their biggest inning of the afternoon and plated six runs in the bottom of the same frame. Sophomore Liv Rogers (West Chester, Pa.) most notably hit a three-run homer to give the hosts a seven-run advantage and more than enough insurance to complete the sweep.
 
Senior Devin Coyne (Chesapeake, Va.) picked up the win for Widener and improved to 2-0 after surrendering three runs, which were all earned, and seven hits in four and two-thirds innings of work. She also struck out five. Penn State Brandywine's Maura Moser suffered the loss and dropped to 4-3 on the spring. She was lit up for 11 hits and nine runs, including eight earned, over four frames.
 
Widener (21-7) resumes conference play when it visits Alvernia tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m.