DUBOIS, Pa. (March 15) -- The Saint Vincent College softball team opened its northern portion of its 2024 schedule by taking both ends of a road doubleheader at Penn State-DuBois.

In the 7-2 win in game one, the Bearcats racked a season-high 13 hits, and rode a strong complete game pitching effort from Haley Bicko. In the nightcap, the Bearcats broke open a tie ballgame by scoring one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull away for a 7-5 victory.

The sweep moves SVC's record back to .500 on the season at 5-5.

GAME ONE: Saint Vincent 7, Penn State-DuBois 2
 
Olivia Persin went 3-5 with a triple and two runs scored, while Jessica LaPorte, Shayna Perigo, Mackenzie Favero, and A.J. Arnal each belted two hits apiece. LaPorte's effort included a 3-run double, while Arnal reached base safely four times, adding a pair of walks to her two safeties.
 
Bicko was masterful in the circle, going the distance and allowing just two unearned runs on four hits, with five strikeouts and zero walks. In 20 innings pitched, covering five appearances and two starts, the veteran righty now owns a 0.35 ERA, and has struck out 13 batters while issuing only one base on balls.
 
The Bearcats first found the scoreboard in the top of the third. Arnal walked to begin the inning, before singles from Favero and Persin loaded the bases. LaPorte then came through with a double to the fence in left-center, clearing the bases to put the Bearcats up 3-0.
 
Saint Vincent added a single run in the next frame. With one out, Arnal singled to right, before Kendall McConnell reached on an error to put runners at first and second. After Favero followed with a single to left to load the bases, Persin's single to right plated Arnal to make the score 4-0.
 
The Bearcats made it 5-0 in the top of the fifth, as Perigo led off with a double, took third on a passed ball, and scored on Bicko's RBI groundout.
 
The Lions broke up the shutout bid in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a pair of unearned runs on a two-out error, but the Bearcats quickly answered in the top of the sixth. On the first pitch of the inning, Persin lined a triple to the right field corner, and then promptly scored on LaPorte's single through a drawn-in left side to up the lead to 6-2.
 
SVC closed out the scoring in the seventh. Arnal doubled to center to lead off, and was relieved by pinch runner Katie Lampe. McConnell was then retired on a sharp one-hopper to the pitcher. The first baseman then attempted to retire Lampe at third base, but the throw sailed wide, allowing Lampe to score the game's final run.
 
Seven different Saint Vincent batters recorded at least one hit, as the team's 13 base knocks marked a season-high. Eight Bearcat batters reached base safely at least once.
 
 
GAME TWO: Saint Vincent 7, Penn State-DuBois 5
 
In a back-and-forth nightcap, the Bearcats broke open a tie ballgame by scoring one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull away for the 7-5 win.
 
Saint Vincent wasted little time in grabbing a lead. Favero began the top of the first by beating out an infield single, and after stealing second, scored on Persin's double. Two batters later, Henderson shot a single through the right side to bring Persin home and make it 2-0.
 
The Lions countered with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game, before SVC regained a one-run lead in the top of the second when April Earnest singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.
 
The back-and-forth theme continued, with the Lions grabbing a 4-3 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second, but SVC came right back to tie it in the third. With one out, Henderson doubled to center before Perigo singled to center. Bicko then followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to make it a 4-4 game.
 
The Bearcats regained the lead in the top of the fifth. LaPorte reached on an error to lead off the frame, and after taking third on a Perigo single, scored on another Bicko sacrifice fly to make it 5-4.
 
The Lions looked primed to jump in front in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out on a single, error and walk. Olivia Bushore was then summoned from the bullpen and left the sacks loaded by recording back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Saint Vincent added some insurance in the top of the sixth. With one out, Favero doubled, before Persin singled to left to put runners at the corners. Favero then scored on a LaPorte RBI groundout to make it 6-4, before Henderson singled through the left side to plate Persin and increase the lead to 7-4.
 
The Lions used a walk, wild pitch, and double to plate a single run in the bottom of the sixth, before Bushore pitched around a leadoff error to close the seventh with three straight outs and seal the victory.
 
Favero and Henderson each finished with three hits, with Favero scoring two runs and Henderson driving in a pair, while Perigo went 2-3 with a walk, and Persin 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Bushore, the final of four pitchers to throw for the Bearcats, earned the win in relief, allowing one run on one hit with five strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.
 
Saint Vincent will now prep for its 2024 home-opener, as it welcomes Penn State-Beaver to Latrobe for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday, March 14.