JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team earned two wins in a sweep of Saint Peter's University on Wednesday, April 10 at Jaroschak Field. With the victories, the Knights improve to 15-13 on the season, while the Peacocks move to 5-30.

After defeating Saint Peter's, 10-2, in game one, the Knights battled from a 4-0 deficit to take the lead.. After five innings, the Knights led 9-7 before the game was called due to lightning.

Freshman Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) started game one with a double to center field, moved to third on a groundout and scored to put the Knights up 1-0 on an RBI single from senior Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo). Fernandez was driven home on a single by Angelique Fernandez to give the Knights a 2-0 lead after half an inning.

The Peacocks responded with one run on two hits in the bottom of the first, but the Knights did not let Saint Peter's get any closer than one run for the remainder of the game.

In the top of the second, freshman Julia Northcutt (Irvine, Calif./Northwood High School) singled up the middle and stole second before Wilen recorded her second consecutive double to drive in a third FDU run. Again, Fernandez singled to drive in Wilen and scored on a Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School)'s single to give the Knights a 5-1 edge.

The Knights put up two more runs in the fifth inning on two bases-loaded walks. Saint Peter's added one run to its total on a home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the seventh, Northcutt singled to start the inning and advanced on a groundout. When sophomore Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) reached on an error, Northcutt crossed the plate to put the Knights ahead 8-2. Fernandez sealed the win for FDU with a two-run home run over the center field fence, clinching the 10-2 victory.

In all, the Knights recorded 13 hits in game one. Fernandez led the team with four hits and four RBI, while Nieves added three hits for FDU.

Senior Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) earned the win and moved to 6-2 on the year by allowing just two earned runs on four hits through seven complete innings while striking out five and walking three.

In game two, the Peacocks loaded the bases with two hits and a walk in the bottom of the second inning and took a 4-0 lead on a grand slam over the left-field wall.

The Knights retaliated in the top of the third. After Emma Deluca (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township High School)-Knighton walked to lead off the inning, Wilen hit her first collegiate home run to bring the Knights within two runs. Zamudio followed suit as the next batter with a home run to center field to bring the Knights up to a 4-3 score. Sparked by a walk from Nieves, a series of hits by Fernandez and Slye and a groundout by Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard), FDU took a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the third.

Deluca's first collegiate home run put the Knights in front, 6-4, in the fourth inning, and In the top of the fifth, Slye recorded an RBI double before Dorado hit a two-run home run to left field to give FDU nine total runs.

The Peacocks fought back in the bottom of the fifth with a three-run home run. Saint Peter's was within two runs, 9-7, when the game was called due to lightning. 

The Knights produced nine hits through five innings in game two, as Zamudio and Slye recorded two hits and two RBI each, while Dorado paced the team with three RBI.

Junior Samantha Lemm (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional High School) picked up the win in game two with seven earned runs on seven hits in five innings and moved to 3-2 on the year.

Overall, Fernandez led the Knights with five hits in seven at bats on the day, while Slye added four more. Fernandez and Wilen each recorded four RBI on the day.

The Knights will host Sacred Heart and Bryant this weekend in Hackensack, N.J.