LATROBE, Pa. (April 29) - The Saint Vincent softball team swept a low-scoring home doubleheader with Washington & Jefferson to move to 20-8 overall and 9-7 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play.

Behind a complete-game shutout from Olivia Bushore and two RBIs from Jessica LaPorte, the Bearcats won the opener 4-0, before SVC jumped out to an early lead and held off a late W&J (10-14, 6-10 PAC) rally to win the nightcap 3-2.

Game One - Saint Vincent 4, W&J 0
After Bushore retired W&J in order on just five pitches in the top of the first, the Bearcats needed just three pitches to take the lead for good in the home half. Leadoff hitter Olivia Persin smoked a triple to the fence in right-center on the second pitch that she saw, before LaPorte lined the next offering into the gap in left-center to plate Persin with the game's first run.

Following another 1-2-3 inning from Bushore in the top of the second, SVC added on to its lead. After singles from Haley Bicko and Persin, LaPorte laced a two-out single to right-center field to score Bicko and make it a 2-0 game.

W&J saw its best scoring chance in the early going come in the top of the third. With two outs, Savanna Keough reached on a bunt single. The Presidents' Aliya Schraeder then laced a ball into the gap in right center, but a picture-perfect relay from SVC rightfielder Kelsey Tobin to second baseman Bicko cut down Keough at the plate to end the inning and preserve the shutout.

The teams traded zeroes over the next two innings before the Bearcats added on some insurance in the bottom of the fifth. LaPorte continued her hot afternoon by smacking a leadoff double to center and gave way to pinch runner Katie Muro, who promptly took third on an Alexandra Dillner single. On the next pitch, Dillner stole second and Muro took home on the throw to make it 3-0. Abbey Ginter followed with a single up the middle to plate Dillner with SVC's fourth run of the afternoon.

The four-run cushion was more than enough for Bushore, who allowed just one runner over the final two innings to close out the shutout, her third of the season. She allowed just five hits and no walks while striking out five and facing just four batters over the minimum.

LaPorte went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while Dillner and Persin each tallied two hits in the win. 

Schrader recorded two of W&J's five hits, while starter Alisha Kulka took the loss in the circle, working 4.0 innings and allowing four runs on 10 hits.

Game Two - Saint Vincent 3, W&J 2
After a scoreless inning-and-a-half in the nightcap, the Bearcats did all of their damage in a lengthy bottom of the second. Tobin led off with a single to right and after moving to second on a Leah Yoder sacrifice bunt, trotted home on a double to the fence in right-center from Bicko to make it 1-0. After Mary Maceda was hit by a pitch, Persin singled to center to plate Bicko with SVC's second run. A single from LaPorte loaded the bases, before Maceda scored on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-0.

In the top of the third, the Presidents used a double and a single to score their first run of the afternoon, and looked primed to add on in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Jordan Hinz and Keough hit back-to-back singles, before Schraeder hit a shot to the gap in right-center. SVC center fielder Yoder, however, made a full-extension, diving grab to rob Schraeder of extra bases, end the inning and preserve the 3-1 lead.

SVC loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth after walks to Maceda and Persin and an error, but left the bases full after an inning-ending groundout, before the Presidents stranded a pair of runners on in the fifth after consecutive one-out singles.

The teams traded zeros in the sixth, before the Presidents' looked to embark on a late-game rally in the top of the seventh. After a quick popup to open the inning, the Presidents' followed by smacking three straight singles, with the third, from Mackenzie Boyd, plating W&J's second run to make it a one-run game. Maceda made a sliding stop and stepped on the bag off of a hot shot to third base for the second out of the inning, before SVC pitcher Meghan Braun closed out the complete game by inducing an inning-ending fly ball to right field to strand the tying run at second base.

Braun earned SVC's second complete-game victory in the circle of the day, allowing two runs. The rookie scattered 13 hits, but continually pitched out of trouble, stranding 11 W&J base runners.

Persin and LaPorte again led the SVC offense, each recording two hits, while Persin also drew two walks to reach base safely in all four plate appearances.

Saint Vincent will be right back in action at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 30, closing out the regular season with a home doubleheader against PAC foe Thiel College.