Center Valley, PA (April 10, 2014) – Sophomore Samantha Gibson had six hits and knocked in two huge runs in game one leading the DeSales University softball team to a doubleheader split with Alvernia University winning game one 12-10 before dropping the second, 10-6.
 
In the opener the Bulldogs (9-8 overall) took an early 8-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and five more in the second frame.  Freshman Alexa Beaumont plated the first run with an RBI single and junior Carly Bartholomew followed with a two-RBI double in the first.  In the second sophomore DJ McCauley singled home sophomore Michelle Gessner, Beaumont hit a three-run homer, and Bartholomew scored two batters later on a run down in between first and second.
 
Alvernia refused to go away however chipping away at the Bulldogs lead with three runs in the third, three more in the fourth, one in the fifth, and finally tied the game at nine in the top of the sixth inning with two runs.
 
DSU wasted no time regaining control in the bottom half of the sixth when senior Brittany Wilson drew a lead-off walk and Beaumont singled to start the frame.  With one out and runners on the corners, Gibson came to the plate and laced a double into left-center emptying the bases and scored one batter later on a pinch-hit single from junior Annie Cosentino.
 
Wilson allowed one run in the top of the seventh but stranded runners on first and second to end the game recording her first win of the year with 1 1/3 innings of solid relief.
 
Gibson finished 4-for-4 with two huge RBIs, Beaumont went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs, and Bartholomew added two hits, two runs, and two RBIs in the game one win.  Junior Taylor Kelly also had two hits and an RBI in game one.
 
In the second game the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double from Beaumont and an RBI single from Bartholomew each with two outs.  Alvernia then took control plating two in the second and three more in the third to lead 5-2.
 
Bartholomew got one back with a solo homer in the third inning and DSU tied it at five in the fourth on an RBI single from sophomore Emily Hockman and a sacrifice fly from McCauley.
 
The Crusaders took a 6-5 lead in the sixth when Samantha Penk hit a solo home run to centerfield and added four insurance runs in the seventh before McCauley posted the final margin with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Junior Rachel Vogel took the loss allowing 12 hits and seven earned runs over 6.1 innings striking out six.  Bartholomew had three hits and knocked in two runs, while Hockman, Gibson, Vogel, and Kelly each had two hits in the game two loss.
 
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday when they travel to FDU-Florham for a Freedom Conference doubleheader beginning at Noon.