Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 20) – The Waynesburg University softball team enjoyed a successful afternoon with a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) sweep of rival Bethany to keep its PAC Tournament hopes alive on Saturday afternoon.
 
Waynesburg (6-8, 14-16) used a balanced hitting attack in game one and eventually won 6-5 in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning. The home team then completed the sweep with a solid 4-1 victory to back up a complete- game pitching effort from freshman Paige Moninger.
 
Both teams started fast offensively in game one. Junior shortstop Madison Presto singled to lead off the first inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then to third base on a wild pitch. Jacket junior leftfielder and team RBI leader Jasmine Blackwell then drove in Presto with a sacrifice fly for the game's first run. However, Bethany (8-6, 17-15) quickly battled back to tie the game with a sac fly of its own in the top of the second.
 
Waynesburg re-took the lead in the second when freshman second baseman Jessica Dorazio picked up a clutch two-out RBI single to plate first baseman Haley Payne to make it 2-1. After Bethany tied it with a run in the third inning, Waynesburg's offense busted out with three scores in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Payne singled to start the frame and eventually came around on another RBI single from Jess Dorazio. The Jackets pushed their lead to 5-2 when sophomore centerfielder Shelby Tabrosky smashed a two-run double to right-center field.
 
Bethany scored three runs in the top of the fifth to draw even. The score remained that way until the bottom of the seventh, when freshman third baseman Katey Potopenko singled to start the inning. Potopenko gave way to pinch- runner Brittany Ellis. Ellis advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Emily Sorton. Junior right fielder Jenna Dorazio then singled to put runners on the corners. That brought sophomore catcher Jessica Gavin to the plate, who slapped a ball right to the Bison second baseman. Luckily, the ball deflected into the outfield, bringing home Ellis for the game-one victory.
 
Junior pitcher Carrie Maier upped her record to 10-6 on the season by pitching a complete game in which she allowed five runs (two earned) on 10 hits. The Greensburg native struck out five while walking just one. Both Dorazio sisters and Presto racked up multi-hit efforts offensively for Waynesburg in the opener.
 
Bethany struck for the first run of game two in the bottom of the first inning but that was all Moninger allowed, as she shut down the Bison the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the Jacket offense went to work in the fourth inning. After seeing its first 11 hitters of the game set down in order, Blackwell singled with two outs in front of a two-run homer over the left field fence from Potopenko.
 
Waynesburg added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning when Blackwell beat out an infield hit to score Jess Dorazio. Junior designated player Sarah Spicher drove in Presto with a sacrifice fly to close out the win.
 
That was more than enough offensive support for Moninger, who earned her first collegiate win by tossing a complete game, allowing one unearned run, striking out one batter and walking none.
 
Fresh off its first sweep of the Bison since 2010, Waynesburg will look to continue its winning ways on Tuesday, April 23, when it travels to Pittsburgh to face Chatham for a PAC doubleheader. Start time is set for 3:30 p.m.