3/26/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Aria Reyes clobbered a two-run homer to kickstart the Lackawanna offense in game one, and Brianna Dinice twirled a shut-out gem in game two to help the Falcons secure the doubleheader sweep over a tough Hudson Valley CC squad on Tuesday afternoon at Scranton HS softball field. The Falcons took game one 10-4, and then won a tight game two 2-0.
 
The Falcons (16-7) were in trouble after the top of the third in game one, when the Vikings (5-5) struck for four runs on six hits in the inning, turning a 3-0 Lackawanna lead into a 4-3 advantage for Hudson Valley. That lead wouldn't last, as Reyes (Sophomore; Allentown, PA) helped herself out. With a runner on first and one out, Reyes cranked a shot to left field that stayed fair at the pole and left the park for a homerun, her first homer in her Lackawanna career. Reyes, who was battered for 13 hits on the day, settled down after that to hold Hudson scoreless over the final four innings to come up with the victory, while the Falcons' offense lengthened things back out to make it comfortable.
 
Five different Falcons had multiple hits, with Reyes leading the charge, going 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI. Allyson Lemerise (Sophomore; Catonsville, MD) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Emmalee Mowery (First Year; Mechanicsburg, PA) was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. The Falcons drew seven walks and had eleven hits. Reyes gave up four runs on 13 hits, striking out four and walking one in the complete game victory, her fifth of the season.
 
Game two saw the Falcons offense go quiet, but did just enough to get a lead, and let Dinice (First Year; Terryville, CT) do the rest. Dinice pitched six scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out a season-best seven batters, helping offset a strong start from Hudson Valley pitcher Mo Collins, who struck out ten Falcons and gave up just five hits.
 
Lackawanna didn't do much on offense, but did enough to get the lead early, thanks to a sac fly at the end of the first inning from Lemerise. Later, in the third, Lackawanna had runners on the corners with two outs when Lemerise smoked a comebacker right off of Collins's mask, ricocheting to the third base side and allowing a runner to score and make it 2-0. The Falcons subsequently had the bases loaded, but Collins, who stayed in the game, got a swinging strikeout to get out of further trouble. Dinice retired nine in a row up into the sixth inning, but a two-out double, followed by a wild pitch and a walk, put runners on and brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Dinice got the big out, however, when she induced the ground ball to second to strand the runners.
 
Madison Maloney (Sophomore; Scranton, PA) had a second-straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Lemerise had the pair of RBI for the Falcons. Reyes and Kaislyn Currie (First Year; Gibbons, AB) each recorded hits for the Falcons. Dinice's six innings of work got her the win, her fourth of the season.
 
The Falcons have now won eight straight games dating back to last week, and will look to add to their total on Wednesday, March 27^th, when they host the Howard CC Dragons. First pitch of the doubleheader is at 3:00pm ET at Scranton HS Softball Field.