Weehawken, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team dropped a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom doubleheader 3-2 and 3-1 to Lebanon Valley College on Saturday afternoon.
 
Jessica Guerrero and Allison Mitloff each recorded two hits in the opener for the Ducks (3-9, 0-2 MAC Freedom), while Bella Mackison homered for the Dutchmen (7-5, 1-0 MAC Freedom) in game one.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning in the opener, Stevens struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second. Rachael Prescott led off with a single through the left side and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a flyout. Isabelle Won then delivered an RBI single to center to put the Ducks on the board. Following a walk to Megan Curtis, Mitloff lined a single to left, scoring Won for a 2-0 lead.
 
Lebanon Valley responded in the fourth. Mackison tied the game with a two-run homer to center, and four batters later, the Dutchmen took the lead on an infield single to the pitcher. The Ducks' defense came up big to limit further damage, as left fielder Emma Quattrochi threw out a runner at the plate trying to score on a fly ball, ending the inning.
 
Stevens had a scoring chance in the fifth when Mitloff and Quattrochi reached on infield singles, but a flyout ended the threat. Catcher Elizabeth Kirstein helped keep the game close in the seventh, throwing out a runner attempting to steal second. Guerrero extended the Ducks' final rally with a two-out single, but a flyout to center sealed the game one loss.
Lebanon Valley wasted no time in game two, plating two runs in the first inning. An RBI single to right opened the scoring, and a bases-loaded walk made it 2-0. Stevens answered in the bottom half, cutting the deficit in half. Guerrero led off with a double down the left-field line, advanced to third on a Curtis sacrifice, and scored on Prescott's sac fly to make it 2-1.
 
Both teams put up zeros over the next few innings, with the Ducks' defense flashing its leather. In the fourth, with runners on second and third and one out, Prescott fielded a grounder at first, stepped on the bag, and fired home to Kirstein, who applied the tag to prevent a run. Stevens threatened in the bottom half as Jessica Hsu and Carmelita Murphy-Brown singled, but a flyout ended the inning.
 
The Ducks turned another double play in the fifth, executing a smooth 4-6-3 sequence to erase a leadoff walk. LVC added an insurance run in the sixth on an infield single off Kyra Fischer's foot, but Stevens minimized the damage, stranding the bases loaded.

Down to their final three outs, the Ducks mounted one last push in the seventh. Riley Lawrence singled to right with one out, and Mitloff followed with a perfectly placed bunt single. Curtis walked to load the bases, bringing the winning run to first, but a fielder's choice to short ended the game.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Fischer went the distance in game one, striking out two, including the 100th of her career.
• Guerrero recorded the only extra-base hit for Stevens in game one with her double.
• The Ducks turned three double plays across the two games.
• Hsu struck out three in game two, while Fischer tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.

UP NEXT
Stevens visits Kean University on Monday, with first pitch in Union, N.J., scheduled for 3 p.m.