Buffalo, NY – The D'Youville softball team split their second conference doubleheader in as many days on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Franciscan Barons 5-0 in game one and losing game two by the final score of 8-4.

There wasn't much offense to begin the first game of the doubleheader. No runs were scored through the first two innings, but the Spartans would do all of their damage in the in the third inning.

Rachel Colan (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) led off the bottom of the inning with a single as Mikaela Milleville (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) and Ashley Carney (Clarence, NY/Clarence) singling to load the bases with no outs. Rylie Russo (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) then reach on a fielder's choice to score Colan as Milleville would also score to make it 2-0 in favor of D'Youville.

The bases would load once again with a Megan Meyer (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) bunt single. Another fielder's choice would have Carney forced out at home but keep the bases loaded with Darian Evans (Brant, NY/Lake Shore) on first. Alexa Haberer (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) would hit a sac-fly to right, scoring Russo for a 3-0 lead.

Next up, Brittaney Goodrich (Eden, NY/Eden) reached on an error that scored Meyer for a 4-0. To cap off the scoring in the third, Victoria Purucker (North Tonawanda, NY/Starpoint) singled to center field to score Evans, bringing the score to 5-0.

Those five runs would be all the Spartans needed as their strong pitching and defense shut out the Barons, winning the game 5-0.

Haberer had another great day pitching, throwing a perfect game threw the first four innings. At the end of the game she went 7.0 innings, allowing three hits, and struck out four as she earned her second victory in as many days. She also went 1-2 at the plate with a RBI. Therese Losardo (Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) helped out the defense by playing a good game in right field.

Carney led the team as she went 3-4 while Purucker went 2-3 and six different players tallied at least a hit. Russo, Haberer, and Purucker each tallied a RBI in the win.

Game two saw a different story for the Spartans on both sides of the ball. Franciscan scored four runs in the top of the second and added three runs in the top of the fourth as they took a 7-0 lead.

The Spartans got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Colan singled with one out. Carney would walk two batters later to move Colan to second and she would then score as Russo singled in the next at-bat, making it a 7-1 game.

Franciscan would get the run back in the top of the sixth, extending their lead back to seven at 8-1. Down to the bottom of the seventh, D'Youville was able to get back on the board.

With one out, Colan singled once again. Milleville then singled and Carney would then reach on an error to load the bases. Two batters later, Meyer would double to center field to score Colan, Milleville, and Carney to make the game 8-4.

Unfortunately, that was where the run production stopped for the Spartans as they went on to lose game two 8-4.

Russo, Colan, and Milleville all led the team with two hits each. Meyer tallied a team high three RBI as Russo picked up the other RBI.

Haberer once again got the start as she went 4.0 innings, allowing three earned runs and struck out one. Goodrich came in relief of Haberer as she went 3.0 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out three. Sierra Belkota (North Tonawanda, NY/Starpoint) played well in right field and Jordan Hartman (Lake View, NY/Frontier) saw a pinch hit at-bat.

D'Youville will next play this Wednesday, April 10 as they host the Penn State-Behrend Lions for a doubleheader, beginning at 3:00pm.