Softball

Delaware Valley College 4, DeSales University 1 (Game 1)
Delaware Valley College 6, DeSales University 3 (Game 2)

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Junior pitcher Kirstyn Ruhling became Delaware Valley College's all-time leader in victories and the red-hot Aggies tied the school record for consecutive wins with a Freedom Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting DeSales University, 4-1 and 6-3.

Delaware Valley, which was picked to finish seventh out of eight teams in the conference preseason poll, improved its record to 11-1 overall, 4-0 and first place in the Freedom. The six straight victories equals the mark that the 1987 team set while the four conference wins already matches the team's entire total from last year (4-10).

Ruhling allowed an unearned run and three hits over seven innings in the first game to improve to 5-0 on the season. It was also her 21st career victory on the mound, topping the Aggies' previous record of 20 set by 1994 graduate Kate Flynn.

Ruhling brought a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Kelly Moran broke up the bid with a single into center. Moran later scored on a two-out error which pulled DeSales (4-8, 0-4) to within one at 2-1.

However, Delaware Valley responded in its half of the fifth as two Lady Bulldog miscues helped the Aggies load the bases with just one out. Bethany Pavlik beat out a potential double-play ball and Kelly Andrews scored on the play for a 3-1 lead. Ruhling (2-for-3) then helped her own cause with an RBI single.

DeSales had back-to-back singles to start the seventh inning, but Ruhling pitched her way out of the jam to preserve the victory. Delaware Valley had jumped out to the 2-0 lead with a single run in the second on an RBI double by Nicole Dorney and one more in the fourth on Kim Harle's RBIs single. Harle went 3-for-4 in the contest.

The second game saw the Aggies jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Lacy Miles doubled and Andrews followed with a home run over the left field fence for her second, round-tripper of the year.

DeSales cut the Delaware Valley lead in half in the third as Kerri Andrews doubled home Jennifer Cybularz.

It stayed a 2-1 game until the sixth when the Aggies scored four runs on six hits. One run scored off an error and starting pitcher Jennifer Bummer helped her own cause with a two-run single. Maureen Ferguson followed with a run-scoring single and 6-1 advantage. The Lady Bulldogs ended the scoring in the seventh on RBIs by Jamie Pfitzenmayer and Maddie Roxandich.

Bummer improved to 4-1 as she allowed three runs and eight hits while striking out five. She was also 2-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate. Kelly Andrews went 2-for-3 with the home run and two RBIs while Miles went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.