LATROBE, Pa. (April 2) The Saint Vincent College softball team moved its winning streak to seven games after sweeping Presidents' Athletic Conference foe Bethany College in a home doubleheader.

Haley Bicko surrendered just four hits in a complete game victory in Saint Vincent's 2-1 game one win, before the Bearcat bats broke open a one-run game with five runs over the fifth and sixth innings in the 8-2 game two victory.

GAME ONE: Saint Vincent 2, Bethany 1

Bicko was forced to pitch out of a jam early on in game one, as the Bison loaded the bases with one out after a single and a pair of errors. The junior hurler would escape the mess unscathed after ending the inning with a pair of popup outs.

In the home half of the first, the Bearcats scored the game's first run when Alex Dillner smacked her team-leading sixth home run of the season with a towering drive over the centerfield fence to stake the hosts out to a 1-0 lead.

Saint Vincent added onto the lead in the bottom of the third. With one out, Olivia Persin walked and Jessica LaPorte singled to put runners at first and second. Dillner then hit a hot shot into the hole, and Persin beat the shortstop's throw to third base to load the bases. With two outs, Nicolette Kloes hit a grounder to the shortstop, and a hustling Dillner beat the throw to second base, allowing Persin to scamper home with the Bearcats' second run of the afternoon.

Bicko retired the side in order in both the third and fourth innings, before the Bison used a walk and a double to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Bicko got a quick first out on a popup, before a throwing error put a runner on first. The SVC defense would then close the game in fine fashion, turning a 1-6-3 double play to seal the victory.

Bicko improved to 5-1 on the season, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, with three strikeouts.

The Saint Vincent offense totaled six hits, with Dillner going 2-for-3 and Bicko, Persin, LaPorte and Kloes all adding singles.

GAME TWO: Saint Vincent 8, Bethany 2

The hosts would again take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first in the nightcap, as Persin led off with a double and scored on an RBI single to center by Leah Yoder.

The Bearcats would then strike for two more runs in the bottom of the third. Persin and LaPorte opened the inning with back-to-back singles, before a one-base hit from Dillner to left field plated Persin to give SVC a 2-0 lead. With one out, Kloes came through with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home LaPorte with the Bearcats' third run.

Bethany looked to rally in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs on two singles and a hit batter, but SVC starter Kiley Meek would leave the bases full after getting an inning-ending strikeout.

In the top of the fifth, the Bison used three singles and an RBI groundout to score a pair of runs and make it a one-run game, but the Bearcats answered right back in the bottom of the inning.

Persin led off the fifth with a single to left, before LaPorte reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Dillner followed with a single to right, with Persin scoring from second on a close play at the plate to push the SVC lead to 4-2, before an RBI groundout from Yoder brought LaPorte across the plate to increase the margin to three runs.

The Bearcats would then put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. LaPorte smacked a double to the fence in center, before Dillner came through with her fifth hit of the doubleheader, a single to right-center that plated LaPorte with the game's final run.

Meek earned SVC's second complete game victory of the day, improving to 5-2 in her rookie campaign after allowing just two runs with seven strikeouts and no walks.

The SVC offense tallied 10 hits. Persin reached base safely four times, going 3-for-3 with a walk and scored four runs, while Dillner went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and LaPorte 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

The victory improved SVC's home record to a perfect 8-0, while the Bearcats are now 10-2 since returning north from spring break.

Saint Vincent will next travel to Washington & Jefferson for a 3:30 p.m. PAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 4.