The Lady Rams softball team recorded their first win of the season as they split a non-conference doubleheader at nearby Chestnut Hill College today.  Philadelphia University (1-3 overall on the season) was held to three hits as they fell in game one but rallied for 10 runs on 13 hits in game two as the Lady Rams will enter next week's Rebel Spring Games in Orlando on a winning note.

Starting sophomore lefthander Kelly Rauco (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) earned the win by pitching four and one-third innings of game two, leaving the game with an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Rauco gave way to freshman righthander Randi Wozniak (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown; pictured at right) who delivered two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief picthing, retiring eight of the nine Chestnut Hill Griffins she faced to close out the first win of the year for Head Coach John Kelly's squad as the Lady Rams prevailed 10-7.

Four Philadelphia University batters registered two-hit performances in the winning half of today's twinbill: Freshman centerfielder Jen Richard (Millstone Township, N.J./Allentown) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored; senior catcher Jacque Curtis (Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney) was 2-for-4 with one run scored; sophomore second baseman Maggie Desmond (Bayport N.Y./St. John the Baptist) was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored; and senior leftfielder Maureen Keenan (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

In the opening game today, the Lady Rams fell 3-1 in a pitchers' duel that was not a harbinger of the offense to follow in the nightcap.  Curtis started for Philadelphia University and pitched six solid innings of six-hit ball, yielding just three third-inning runs to Chestnut Hill, which proved to be the difference.

The Griffins (1-5 overall for the season) meanwhile were the benefactors of a three-hit outing from winning righthander Kaitlin McKeever (Mechanicville, N.Y./Mechanicville).  McKeever, who was perfect through four and a third, gave up just one run in working the complete seven innings to earn both her and Chestnut Hill's first win of the young season.

The Lady Rams will host the Griffins when the teams meet again later this season on Tuesday, April 22 at 3:00 p.m. at the School House Lane Softball Field.  The teams are slated to play another doubleheader and that one will count in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference standings.