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LATROBE, Pa. (April 19) - The Saint Vincent College softball team earned an important sweep over Geneva College in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. The Bearcats won 7-0 in the first game before backing that up with a 7-1 victory in game two.

The wins improves the Bearcats to 20-10 overall and 8-4 in PAC play. Geneva dropped to 13-15 overall and 3-9 in league action. 

Sophomore first baseman Shelby Noel put together another big day at the plate. The Latrobe, Pa. native combined to go 6-for-8 on the day, raising her average to a league-best .477. Noel also hit her PAC leading seventh home run, putting her one shy of tying the school record. During the doubleheader, Noel established a new single-season school RBI record, with 32 runs batted in for the season.

Junior pitcher Samantha Emert tossed a two-hit shutout in game one, facing just one batter more than the minimum. Emert improved to 10-4 on the season, working seven innings and striking out three while issuing no walks. She only allowed one base runner to reach scoring position in the contest.

The Bearcats got more than enough run support for Emert, as the first three batters for the Bearcats singled to load the bases with no outs. Sophomore Emily Duerr brought home a run on an RBI groundout, making it 1-0 after the first. The Bearcats added three more runs in the third inning, when Breanne Wallace singled home Noel. Freshman Kelly Flaherty then added a two-run double down the right field line to plate Emert and Duerr, making it 4-0.

SVC added three more runs in the fourth to conclude the scoring. Duerr, Flaherty and freshman Kelsey Hunter collected an RBI each in the frame.

Saint Vincent pounded out 15 hits in game one, including multi-hit efforts by Courtney Patterson, Noel, Duerr, Wallace, Flaherty and Morgan Murphy. 

Game two was more of the same, strong pitching and timely hitting, leading SVC to the sweep. The Bearcats struck for six runs in the second inning, as Christina Folino got the scoring started with an RBI single, making it 1-0. Sarah Swettlen added a two-run triple before Noel cranked a two-run home run to right to make it 6-0.

Geneva scored its first and only run of the dame on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning of game two. SVC tacked on an unearned run on a single by Noel in the sixth inning. 

Noel and Folino led the way offensively in game two. Noel went a perfect 4-for-4 in the nightcap. Meanwhile, Folino went 3-for-3 in the game to give her hits in six straight at-bats. 

Duerr got the win on the mound, working all seven innings and only surrendering one unearned run. The sophomore scattered six hits while striking out three and walking one. The win also improved Duerr to 10-4 on the season in the circle.

The Bearcats return to action when they travel to face Waynesburg University on Thursday, April 21. Start time for the PAC doubleheader is slated for 3:30 p.m.