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The Saint Vincent softball team improved to 11-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference with a doubleheader sweep over Washington & Jefferson College on the road.

Game scores were 6-4 and 9-0.

In game one, the Bearcats gave starting pitcher Celia Knappenberger (12-5) a big early lead, scoring five runs in the top of the first.  Johnna Karas led off with a single, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Tobin.  Lauren Miller singled, moving Karas to third, and Alona Sleith followed with a run-scoring single.  After a fielder's choice left runners at first and second with two outs, Riley Assalone doubled, driving home both runners to make it 3-0.  Sydney Gurneal then reached on an error, scoring Assalone, then scored on a Kelly Flaherty single, giving SVC a 5-0 lead.  

Shae Robson singled to lead off the third inning, then stole second.  She moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Flaherty single that made it a 6-run game.

In the bottom of the third, the Presidents scored three runs on five hits, but Knappenberger once again settled down and kept the hosts off the board until the bottom of the 7th, when a solo home run by Rachel Johnson cut the gap to two.  However, it was all that W&J could get, and SVC held on for the 6-4 win.  

Offensively, Karas and Flaherty each had two hits, while Knappenberger went the distance in the circle, yielding 7 hits, walking one and striking out three.

The second game started in a similar fashion, with Karas singling to lead off, then moving to second on a Tobin sacrifice.  Karas then scored on a double by Sleith.  Robson followed with a single that plated Sleith, giving the Bearcats a 2-0 lead. 

In the third, it was Karas that once again got things started with a single.  She moved to second when Tobin reached on an error, and Miller followed with a single that brought home Karas.  With runners at second and third, Sleith grounded out but drove home a run.  Assalone later singled, scoring Miller, giving SVC a 5-0 lead.

Miller doubled to lead off the fifth, then scored on an error, making it a 6-run advantage.  Robson and Assalone both singled to load the bases, and a wild pitch brought home Sleith.  Flaherty later singled home another run, giving SVC an 8-0 lead, and Kaylee Ludwick drove home the final run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

Erica Smiley then retired the side in the fifth, and the game was stopped early due to the "8-run rule."

Smiley pitched all five innings for the win, giving up just one hit and striking out two in a strong performance. She is now 8-2 on the season.

The Bearcats are 23-11 overall, 11-1 in the PAC. Washington & Jefferson is now 14-18 overall, 5-7 in the conference.  

Saint Vincent returns to action on Thursday, April 25, traveling to West Virginia to face Bethany College.