Softball

King's College 5, Delaware Valley College 1 (Game 1)
Delaware Valley College 7, King's College 6 (Game 2)

WILKES-BARRE (PA) - Delaware Valley College moved one step closer to its second straight Freedom Conference playoff berth as it earned a critical twinbill split at defending champion King's College. The Aggies dropped a 5-1 decision in the first game, but rallied for a 7-6 triumph in the nightcap.

The split was the fifth in as many conference doubleheaders for the Aggies as they moved their overall record to 9-17 on the year. Their 5-5 mark in Freedom play leaves them tied with FDU-Florham (6-6) for third place and one game ahead of both Manhattanville College (4-6) and Wilkes University (4-6).

Delaware Valley needs just one win in the home conference twinbill finale against Manhattanville next Saturday, April 25 to clinch a spot in the Freedom playoffs. The Aggies have the tiebreaker edge on many of its opponents as they are just one of two teams (Manhattanville is the other) to pick up a win over Freedom front-runner DeSales University (8-2).

Delaware Valley trailed King's (16-8, 6-4) 5-3 as it headed into the sixth inning of the second game. Maureen Ferguson led off the stanza with a doubled and moved to third on Robyn Jackson's single. Jennifer Bummer came in a pinch-hitter and the senior picked the right time for her first home run of the year as she lofted one down the left field line and over the fence for a 6-5 Aggie advantage.

Bummer stayed in the game as the pitcher and the Lady Monarchs tied the game off of her in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Becky Loring. However, the Aggies struck again in the seventh as Kelly Andrews led off with a single and Nicole Dorney followed with a double. Brittany Stockert then brought home Andrews with an RBI single and a 7-6 lead. Bummer then got King's out in order in the bottom of the seventh for her fifth win of the year.

Delaware Valley started off strong as it received RBI singles by Andrews (2-for-4) and Stockert (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) in the top of the first. The Lady Monarchs answered in the bottom of the inning as Leanne Hoerner connected for a three-run homer.

The Aggies tied it up in the third as Bethany Pavlik singled and stole second. She then stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. King's regained the lead in its half of the stanza and added one more in the fifth for a 5-3 advantage. That set the stage for Bummer's heroics in the late innings.

In the opener, Kelsey Shreaves improved to 9-3 for the Lady Monarchs as she went the full seven innings and allowed just one run and six hits. King's got single runs in the second and third innings before the Aggies answered with one in the fifth on an RBI bunt single by Lacy Miles.

However, the Lady Monarchs put the game away in the sixth innings as Loring notched an RBI single and Shreaves helped her own cause with a two-run double.

Jackson was the lone Aggie to have a multiple-hit game as she went 2-for-3 and scored the team's only run. Bummer took the loss as she went six innings and allowed five runs (four earned) and seven hits.