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The Saint Vincent softball team defeated Penn State-Beaver on a chilly afternoon in Latrobe by scores of 5-2 and 7-1.

In game one, SVC scored the first runs of game one in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore Emily Duerr led off with a double. Duerr then advanced to third on a passed ball.  Samantha Emert followed by reaching base on balls, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.
 
Shortstop Courtney Patterson brought Duerr home with an RBI single into right field. After two outs, the Bearcats loaded the bases off a Morgan Murphy single. Senior Sarah Swettlen took advantage coming up with a clutch three-run bases clearing RBI double into center field to give SVC an early 4-0 lead.
 
Emert was stellar, allowing only one hit up until the top of the fourth when Penn State Beaver scored their first run of the game on two hits. Penn State went on to bring in another run in the top of the fifth, cutting the Bearcat lead down to 4-2.
 
The Bearcats added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Breanne Wallace led off with a double to left. Kelly Flaherty came in to pinch run for Wallace at second and advanced to third following a base hit by Murphy. Swettlen then flew out to center field, bring home Flaherty and increasing the Bearcat lead to 5-2.
 
Swettlen contributed to SVC's win, driving home four runs in the Bearcats' win. Emert was also a major factor, only allowing two runs on five hits to improve her pitching record to 4-1.
 
The Bearcats got off to an early 2-0 lead in game two, scoring the first two runs through the third inning. Sophomore Shelby Noel drove in the first run of game two, doubling to center field to bring home Swettlen. SVC continued their scoring efforts in the third inning when Noel again brought in Swettlen, this time with a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
Penn State Beaver scored their only run of the game in the fourth inning off two hits. This lowered their deficit to 2-1.
 
SVC responded immediately and scored five more runs all in the bottom of the fourth. Two runs came from a double into left center off the bat of Murphy, bringing in Nicole Adisey and Flaherty. Murphy later came around to score when freshman Mackenzie Gostomski reached on a fielder's choice. Duerr drove in the last two runs with an RBI single to center, bringing around Noel and Gostomski to score.
 
Another outstanding pitching performance helped pave the way for the Bearcats in game two. Duerr allowed only one run in seven innings and improved her record to 3-2 for 2016. The Bearcat offense had a well-rounded attack to take the win.
 
The Bearcats moved to 7-5 overall for the season. Saint Vincent will hope to carry the momentum from doubleheader sweep when they travel to face La Roche College on Tuesday, March 22 in non-conference. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.