By: Ryan Gasser, sports information director

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Capital University Softball earned its first sweep of the 2019 season when it handed a pair of losses to visiting Kenyon College on Wednesday afternoon. The Crusaders defeated the Ladies by scores of 3-2 and 5-2 in the team's home opening doubleheader.

GAME 1 - Kenyon 2, Capital 3

Senior Brianna Reardon (Fremont, Ohio/St. Joseph Central Catholic) earned her fifth win of the year after staying the course and getting some help from the Crusader offense in the late innings.

The Crusades found themselves down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning when Cap's two-out offense struck for the lead. Sophomore Mycala Duhart came in to pinch hit and led the inning off with an infield hit to the third base side. With two outs and Lauren Kachure reentering to run at second base, Erica Ogden's single put runners at the corners to set the table for Kristen Mellott. The senior then delivered a fly ball down the right field line that painted the chalk and went for a two-run double.

Senior Chevonne Hayslett (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) then came on to drive home Mellott with a rope down the left field line, posting the eventual game-winning run.

Reardon (W, 5-7) came back out to finish what she started and recorded the final three outs, including one of her three strikeouts on the day.

Emily Prater (L, 7-4) took the loss after allowing hits to six different Crusaders and surrendering three runs in her six innings of work.

GAME 2 - Kenyon 2, Capital 5

The second win of the day was a byproduct of one big offensive inning for the Crusaders backed by a solid pitching performance by Hayslett plus a few clutch defensive plays.

Cap struck first when sophomore Alyx Slusher (Rockford, Ohio/Parkway) and junior Morgan Fadel (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview) hit back-to-back doubles to mark up the scoreboard. With Slusher on second, Fadel drove a double down the left field line to record her sixth run batted in of the year. She would later post her seventh, as well.

The following inning featured four runs for the Crusaders, which would fuel them all the way through to victory. The frame began with an error by shortstop Sara Campagna, but pinch runner Veronica Zack was caught in a rundown on the following batted ball. Later in the inning with two runners on and two outs, Duhart came off the bench and delivered an RBI single to left.

A walk and a fielder's choice later, Cap found itself 3-0 prior to Erica Ogden's two-run single blasted up the middle off of starter Nicole Bishay. After the run-scoring base knock, Capital led 5-0.

Capital starting pitcher Chevonne Hayslett (W, 1-3) surrendered just one run in six innings of work. In that time, the senior allowed just six hits, three of those coming in her final inning of work, and struck out one. She then turned the ball over to Brianna Reardon, who allowed one run but the defense ended the threat when right fielder Hannah Martin caught a runner at second rounding the bag too wide and nailed her with a good throw and tag to end the game.

Capital will play its next set at home against Ohio Northern University on Saturday, March 30. First pitch will be thrown at 1 p.m. from Clowson Field.