ALTOONA, Pa. (March 19) - Strong pitching performances by senior Emily Duerr and freshman Erica Smiley lifted the Saint Vincent softball team to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of host Penn State Altoona. 

Saint Vincent took game one by a 3-1 score before adding a 2-0 victory in game two to sweep the Lions. 

Game 1 Recap - Saint Vincent 3, Penn State Altoona 1

Duerr put together her second straight strong pitching performance as the Saint Vincent softball team downed Penn State Altoona by a 3-1 margin in game one of a non-conference doubleheader.

Duerr tossed a complete game, allowing just one unearned run on six hits over seven innings of work to improve her record to 2-0 on the season. The lefty struck out two and walked just one Altoona hitter in the contest. Sophomore Victoria Culver led the offense two hits and two RBI, while senior Shelby Noel and junior Kelsey Hunter contributed two hits each.

Saint Vincent plated a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, with all the damage coming after two outs. Hunter singled and moved to second on a bunt hit by senior Morgan Murphy. Culver would follow with a two-run double to give the Bearcats an early 2-0 edge. Penn State Altoona would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth, tallying an unearned run with two outs to cut the SVC lead to 2-1. 

The Bearcats added an insurance run in the top of the fifth when freshman Alona Sleith produced a sacrifice fly to score junior Mackenzie Gostomski. 

Game 2 Recap - Saint Vincent 2, Penn State Altoona 0 

Smiley tossed her first collegiate complete game shutout in game two. The freshman logged seven innings, allowing no runs while scattering nine hits to improve her record to 2-1 for the season. Smiley struck out three and walked two in the victory. 

The game was scoreless entering the top of the sixth inning. Senior Courtney Patterson led off the inning with a single before giving way to Murphy, who pinch ran and moved to second base on a groundout by Noel. A wild pitch by Altoona would score Murphy to give SVC a 1-0 lead. Duerr tacked on an RBI single to score Sleith and extend the lead to 2-0. 

Smiley would strand two Altoona base runners in both the sixth and seventh innings to preserve the victory. 

The doubleheader sweep extends the Bearcats' winning streak to four games and improves their overall record to 9-3. Meanwhile, the losses drop the Lions to 9-7 overall. 

Saint Vincent is scheduled to return to action with a non-conference road doubleheader at La Roche College on Thursday, March 21. Start time is set for 3 p.m.