Cecil College softball picked up a two-game sweep over Rowan College of Gloucester County on Sunday, becoming the only team so far to beat the Roadrunners twice. The Seahawks improved to 11-3 overall after the non-conference and non-region victories, and remain at 8-0 in conference play.
Game one between the Seahawks and Roadrunners started out scoreless through two innings until the visitors were the first to cross the plate. The Seahawks gave up two unearned runs, off a pass ball and an error on the Roadrunners' first three runs. Cecil College was able to bouce back in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game with runs from Rebekah Alhstrom, Kaylie Linman, and Rachel Durham. Carly White and Shannon Shivery were credited with an RBI on two of the four lead-changing runs.
Rowan College at Gloucester County took the lead once again in the sixth, scoring two runs off a triple but the Seahawks' bats could not be stopped in the bottom of the inning. Aleshia Shires crushed a bomb over the centerfield fence to the tie the game and fuel the Seahawks' final come back. Carly White and Olivia Martin followed each with singles, bringing in two runs. Despite grouding out to the pitcher, Shannon Shivery was credited with an RBI that brought Rachel Durham home and gave Cecil College an 8-5 lead with an inning to play.
The Roadrunners were able to to score two runs in the top of the seventh before their run was put out by the Seahawks' defense. Freshman pitcher Emily Phillips collected the win through seven innings, striking out seven batters.
Game two looked like much of the same as the Seahawks and Roadrunners were tied until the bottom of the fifth inning, until the Seahawks' exploded with nine runs to end the game after five innings. Kaylie Linman started the action for the Seahawks with a double, later on advancing to home on a passed ball. After singles from Carly White and Shannon Shivery, each with an RBI, Aleshia Shires sacrifice flied to centerfield to bring in another run. The game eventually ended, after completely resetting their line up, when Carly White reached first on an error that allowed Rachel Durham and Kaylie Linman to score again for the eleventh and twelth runs of the game.
Third basemen Kelly Porte went 3-for-4 with two RBI in game two while pitcher Shannon Shivery went 3-for-3 with 4 RBI and picked up the win for the Seahawks.
Cecil College softball will return to action, after a short break, when they travel to CCBC Catonsville for a double header on Saturday, April 14. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00 p.m.