WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (April 8, 2017)  – Junior Olivia Gemma homered and pitched a complete game as the No. 22 Stevens Institute of Technology softball team split an Empire 8 doubleheader with Houghton College Saturday afternoon.

Junior Corinne Loncar doubled and drove in three runs for the Ducks, who moved to 18-10 on the year, and 5-3 in Empire 8 play.

Kaylee Jentsch homered and threw a no-hitter in game two to lead Houghton. The Highlanders improved to 7-15 and 1-5 in conference play.

Stevens Softball honored the Class of 2017, Gina Schnecker, Amanda DiLeo and Emily Sellitti between games.

No. 22 Stevens 6 Houghton 1
In the day's opener, Olivia Gemma scattered two hits over seven innings and hit a two-run home run as the Ducks defeated the Highlanders 6-1.

Corinne Loncar doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Ducks. 

Houghton struck first in the opening inning. Bailey Shattell led off with a single and promptly stole second. She scored on Kaylee Jentsch's RBI groundout to give the Highlanders an early advantage.

Taylor Sile (2-6) kept the Stevens bats silent over the first four innings before Stevens finally touched the pitcher for three runs in the fifth. Emily Sellitti led off with a single and moved to second on Samantha Schattin's infield single. Corinne Loncar singled to tie the game. With one out, Cara Napolitano was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Sile hit Amanda DiLeo to force in a run. Katherine Tirabassi hit a sacrifice fly to right for the third run of the frame.

After Gemma retired the Highlanders in order in the sixth, Stevens again reached Sile for three runs to break the game open. Sile hit Gina Schnecker to start the inning. The speedy outfielder quickly stole second and scored on Loncar's RBI single through the right side. Gemma followed with her fourth home run of the year to give the Ducks a 6-1 lead.

Gemma (6-1) retired the final seven batters she faced to earn her sixth win of the year.

Houghton 5 No. 22 Stevens 1
In game two, Kaylee Jentsch hit a two-run home run and spun her first career no-hitter as Houghton defeated Stevens 5-1 to force the doubleheader split. 

Corinne Loncar hit a first-inning sacrifice fly to plate Stevens' only run. 

Marissa Cappello (4-6) retired nine in a row before running into trouble in the fourth. Bailey Shattell led off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on Jenny Young's grounder to short. Taylor Sile doubled to tie the game and Jentsch followed with a long home run to give Houghton a 3-1 lead. 

The Ducks had an opportunity to even the score in the fourth. Samantha Schattin walked and then stole second. Loncar grounded out to advance the outfielder to third. Olivia Gamma walked, but Jentsch (4-5) induced back-to-back groundouts to end the threat.

After Houghton added a run in the fifth, the Ducks again threatened in their half of the inning. Melissa Alfonso walked and moved to third on Katelyn Cook's two-base error, after the first baseman mishandled Julia DeCandia's grounder. But with one out, Jentsch struck out Emily Sellitti and Schattin to end the inning. 

Cappello finished the afternoon allowing four earned runs on seven hits. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters.

Up Next: Stevens returns to Weehawken for an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader with Ithaca on April 15. 

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