PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University softball team pounded out a season-high 20 hits to take the first game of its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) doubleheader 9-5 over host USciences and earn a split of the series Tuesday afternoon on McNeil Field. The Devils hung on to win the nightcap, 3-2.

Philadelphia is 15-3 overall, 6-2 against the CACC, while USciences goes to 4-14 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

GAME ONE
The Rams, who lead Division II in batting average, recorded 20 hits for the first time since getting 25 hits in a 16-6 win over Felician on April 14, 2013.

All nine batters in the Philadelphia line-up had at least two hits, led by 3-for-5 efforts from sophomore right fielder Kasia Smith (Waddell, Ariz./Estrella Foothills) and junior pitcher Nicole Troisi (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II).

Philadelphia jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a one-out single by Smith and a bases-loaded walk by junior third baseman Samantha Abromavage (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp.).

Smith doubled the advantage to 4-0 with a two-out double to left center field in the second inning.

In the third inning, the Rams extended their lead to 7-0 with a pair of two-out singles. Junior shortstop Stephanie Martin (Hanover, Md./Seton Keough) plated sophomore catcher Mollie Burrell (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) with an infield single for the first run of the inning. Senior second baseman Meaghan Lewis (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) followed up with a base hit to center to bring home junior left fielder Emma Haley (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach) and sophomore designated hitter Renee Kakareka (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg).

Philadelphia tacked on a run in the fourth on a dropped fly ball and one more in the fifth on a single by senior center fielder Samantha Riabko (Haddon Twp., N.J./Haddon Twp.).

The Devils took advantage of two Ram errors to score two times in the home half of the fifth. One inning later, USciences was the beneficiary of another error that led to three more runs.

Troisi struck out three batters to pick up her fifth win of the year (5-1). She allowed five unearned runs on 10 hits over the seven innings.

Brittany Granahan took the loss (0-4), surrendering four runs on seven hits in two innings.

Katie Dickson paced the Devils offense with two hits, including a RBI single in sixth.

GAME TWO
The Devils drew first blood in the nightcap with a RBI single off the bat of Jackie Keifer in the first inning.

The game remained 1-0 until the sixth when USciences pushed two runs home to increase its lead to 3-0. Dickson had a RBI single and the Devils scored the second run on dropped pop-up by Martin.

Philadelphia put together a threat in the seventh inning after Burrell and Riabko started the frame off by reaching base. A fielder error by Keifer on a fielder's choice attempt with one out allowed the Rams to load the bases.

After a ground out put the Rams down to their last out, Martin came through with a two-run single to bring Kakareka and freshman left fielder Shannon Weaver (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) home and pull Philadelphia within 3-2.

With the go-ahead run on second base, Lewis ended the game by grounding out to second.

Philadelphia outhit USciences, 6-5. Riabko was 3-for-3 at the plate, while Martin was 2-for-4.

Devon Debellis was 2-for-3 and scored twice for the Devils.

Cassie Lapotsky struck out three, and allowed two unearned runs on six hits, to take the win (3-7).

Abromavage took the loss (4-1) as she gave up three runs, one earned, on five hits in 5.2 innings. She recorded five strikeouts.

Philadelphia heads to Lakewood, N.J. to take on Georgian Court in a CACC doubleheader on Friday, April 4 at 2:30 p.m.