HOUGHTON, NY—The Stevens Ducks took both ends of a conference doubleheader against the Houghton Highlanders, 10-2 and 12-4.
The Ducks scored 10 runs in the final three innings of the first game then picked up where they left off in the second, scoring nine runs in the first three innings of game two.
Game #1: Houghton jumped out to an early lead, picking up a run in the second when
Bailey Shattell (Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage ) hit a two-out RBI double to score
Toni Kling (Wellsville, NY, Wellsville) and another run in the third when
Justine Phillips (Cato, NY, Cato Meridian ) singled home
Ashley Schenk (Victoria, BC, Pacific Christian ).
Starting pitcher
Kaylee Jentsch (Orchard Park, NY, Orchard Park) cruised through the first two innings then worked her way out of a bases loaded jam in the third before the Ducks bats came alive in the fourth.
Olivia Gemma led off the inning with a homerun and three batters later Amanda DiLeo hit a two-run homer to give Stevens a 3-2 lead and force a Houghton pitching change.
Stevens scored four more runs in the fifth and added another three in the sixth, capping the game after six innings.
Shattell, Phillips and
Alishia Foss (Medina, NY , Medina) each collected two hits for the Highlanders.
Emily Sellitti and DiLeo each posted three hits for the Ducks. Gemma picked up her second win of the season, pitching all six innings while allowing eight hits and one walk, striking out four.
Game #2: Stevens grabbed an early one run lead in the first, scoring on a balk, but Houghton responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning when Shattell doubled and later scored on an error.
The Ducks then scored eight runs on four hits over the next two innings, opening up a 9-1 lead.
Houghton loaded the bases in the third and tacked on their second run when
Taylor Sile (Hilton, NY, Hilton ) scored on an error, but the Highlanders were unable to push across any more runs.
Down 10-2 in the fifth, Schenk and
Jessica Hayner (Waterford, NY, Shenendehowa ) ripped back-to-back doubles and Kling singled home Hayner to make the score 10-4, Stevens.
That was as close as the Highlanders would come as the Ducks added two in the top of the sixth and Houghton could not score in the bottom half, ending the game.
Shattell went 3-for-3 with a walk for the Highlanders, while Sellitti also collected three hits for the Ducks.
Brianna Sandone picked up her second win of the year for Stevens, tossing all six innings, allowing seven hits and three walks while striking out six.
Houghton is back in action on Wednesday, April 6 when they take on the visiting SUNY Canton Roos at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
