LATROBE, Pa. (March 22) – The Saint Vincent softball team opened up Presidents' Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Chatham University.
 
In both games, the Bearcats (9-5, 2-0 PAC) used late offensive outbursts to earn six-inning, run-rule wins, taking the opener, 11-3, and the nightcap, 9-1.
 
The Bearcats moved their winning streak to six games with their third consecutive doubleheader sweep.
 
Game One: Saint Vincent 11, Chatham 3 (6 innings)
 
In the day's opener, the Bearcats broke open an early 2-2 tie by scoring nine runs over the final three innings.
 
Jessica LaPorte and Kendall McConnell each went 3-for-4 to lead the Bearcats' 12-hit attack, as eight players registered at least one hit. LaPorte homered, doubled, and drove in a game-high five RBIs, while McConnell drove in two runs and scored once.
 
Haley Bicko earned the complete game victory in the circle, allowing three runs and scattering nine hits, with three strikeouts.
 
Saint Vincent took the game's first lead in the bottom of the third when LaPorte's two-out, two-run single scored April Earnest, who reached on a fielder's choice, and Olivia Persin, who was hit by a pitch.
 
The Cougars promptly countered, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring two runs on three hits to tie the game. The damage could have been greater, as they loaded the bases with just one out, but Bicko pitched out of the jam by inducing a pair of pop-ups.
 
The Bearcats regained the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Shayna Perigo walked to lead off, before Nicolette Kloes' sacrifice bunt attempt was misplayed, putting runners at first and second with no outs. After two quick outs, Earnest shot a single through the right side to plate Perigo and put the Bearcats up, 3-2.
 
SVC added one run in the bottom of the fifth. Alyssa Henderson legged out a triple down the right field line, before giving way to pinch runner Lily Rush. Kloes would then follow through with a ground ball to the right side to bring home Henderson with SVC's fourth run of the day.
 
The Bearcats put the game away for good in the bottom of the sixth, scoring seven runs – all with two outs – on seven hits. McConnell singled to left before Mackenzie Favero stroked a hard ground ball through the left side, setting the stage for LaPorte, who blasted a no-doubter over the fence in left-center to open up a 7-3 lead. After Henderson walked and Perigo singled, Kloes smacked a line drive single to center to bring home Henderson and make it 8-3. Pinch hitter Zoe Mangan then doubled to the left field corner, bringing home Perigo, and McConnell followed with a single to center that cleared the bases to make it 11-3, ending the game.
 
Game Two: Saint Vincent 9, Chatham 1 (6 innings)
 
In the nightcap, the Bearcats jumped out to an early first-inning lead and never looked back, riding a strong performance from junior righty Olivia Bushore in the circle, who earned SVC's second complete game victory of the day, as she allowed one unearned run on just three hits, while striking out seven.
 
Offensively, Persin went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Henderson finished 2-for-4 and drove in one run. McConnell reached base safely three times with a single and two walks and scored three runs, while LaPorte had a double, walk, RBI and run scored.
 
After Bushore pitched out of early trouble by stranding a pair of runners in the top of the first, the Bearcats wasted little time in taking a lead in the bottom half. With one out Persin walked and promptly stole second, before scoring the game's first run on Henderson's single to center.
 
SVC used small ball in the bottom of the second to score its second run, as McConnell walked to lead off, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Earnest, took third on a wild pitch, and came home on Leah Yoder's sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
 
After the Bearcats made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out, two-run single from Persin, the Cougars cut into the deficit with an unearned tally in the top of the sixth, but as was the case in the opener, the Bearcat bats exploded in their half of the sixth inning to close out the victory.
 
With one out, Persin singled, and then scored on LaPorte's double off the fence in left. Henderson's single to center put runners at first and third, before Perigo reached on an error to bring home LaPorte and make it 6-1. The incoming throw from right field then went off the mark, allowing Katie Lampe, who was pinch running for Henderson, to scamper home with SVC's seventh run. Another error, this time on a ball hit by McConnell, plated Perigo to make it 8-1, before Chatham's fourth miscue of the inning, this one on a ground ball from Yoder, plated McConnell to close out the 9-1, 6-inning victory.
 
Saint Vincent will now have a 48-hour respite before returning to action on Sunday, March 24, with a 1 p.m. non-conference twinbill at La Roche.