LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University softball team (13-9, 2-0 PSACC) was able to sweep the visiting University of Pitt-Johnstown (8-10, 0-2 PSACC) Thursday afternoon in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division opener for both teams. LHU outlasted the Mountain Cats, 1-0 in game one before knocking off UPJ, 6-4 in game two.
 
The wins also extended Lock Haven's central division win-streak to 23 straight games dating all the way back to the 2017 season.
                                  
Game 1: W, 1-0
                             
The Bald Eagles outlasted Pitt-Johnstown, 1-0 in game one of the doubleheader.
 
The game turned into a pitcher's duel between LHU's Bekah Slattery (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) and UPJ's Kristen Coffay.
 
In the end, a sacrifice fly from Mikayla Ruppert (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) in the fifth inning plated Stefanie O'Grady (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley) to give Lock Haven the 1-0 lead.
 
The Haven defense held strong behind Slattery to preserve the shutout and get LHU the 1-0 win.
 
Madison Mathes (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) and Becca Caputo (Williamsport, Pa./Jersey Shore) led the way offensively for the Bald Eagles as they each tallied two hits. Ruppert finished with a double and an RBI.
 
Slattery was money in the circle, pitching a complete-game shutout while allowing just four hits and striking out eight.
 
Game 2: W, 6-4
 
The Bald Eagles outlasted UPJ, 6-4 in game two to finish off the sweep.
 
Mathes got the scoring started for LHU in this one when she singled to right center to score Casey Carpenter (Spring Brook, Pa./North Pocono) and give LHU the 1-0 lead in the second inning.
 
In the third inning, Lock Haven took command of the ballgame when Carpenter and Rachel Gricoski (Frackville, Pa./North Schuylkill) drilled back to back home runs to give the Bald Eagles a commanding 4-0 lead.
 
Kayla Gee (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock) helped her own cause in the fourth inning with an RBI single to left to give LHU the 5-0 lead.
 
UPJ was able to rally in the final frame by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough as Lock Haven held on for the 6-4 win and extended their divisional win-streak to 23 games.
 
Carpenter led the way for the Haven offense, going 2-3 at the plate with a double, home run and two RBI's. Gricoski added her home run while Caputo, Bree Hilty (Lock Haven, Pa./Central Mountain) and Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) all added doubles.
 
Gee was solid in the circle, allowing just five hits in the ball game while striking out four.
 
Up Next:
 
The Bald Eagles will travel to central division rival Bloomsburg for the team's next doubleheader. Those games are scheduled for 1:00/3:00 first pitches.