More stellar pitching led the Muhlenberg softball team to a sweep of Delaware Valley in its first home doubleheader.

Five pitchers combined to allow no earned runs on only six hits as the Mules won 5-1 and 3-1 to improve to 12-3 through 15 games for the first time in 10 years. In those 15 games, the staff has allowed more than two runs only twice. 

Muhlenberg was one out away from a no-hitter in the opener. Junior Justine Bergara, the defending Centennial Conference pitcher of the week, was spectacular in her six-inning stint, retiring 15 straight batters in one stretch and allowing an unearned run and no hits.

Sophomore Leeanna Zagrodnik relieved in the seventh and got the first two outs before the Aggies (7-5) squeezed a ground ball through the right side of the infield for their first hit.

The Mules scored two runs in the first. Sophia Cicchetti was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a ground ball and scored on another groundout. Freshman Skyla Campisi followed with a single and came around on an opposite-field triple by junior Kaya Mahy.

The top three hitters in the order – Cicchetti, freshman Peri Kahn and sophomore Scooter Hulsen – all singled, stole second and scored in the third.

In the second game, senior Raya Kunes worked into the sixth inning, allowing four hits and an unearned run while fanning five. She has now struck out 25 batters without issuing a walk this season; entering the game only one pitcher in Division III had recorded more whiffs and no bases on balls.

After Kunes allowed a leadoff double in the sixth, senior Isabella Fogle (pictured above) did some solid work out of the bullpen, retiring three of the four batters she faced without allowing the run to score.

Freshman Samantha Fehrenbach worked a hitless seventh for her second save of the season.

Cicchetti led off the first with a single, stole second and eventually came in on a squeeze bunt by Hulsen, beating the throw home with a headfirst dive. She has 18 stolen bases on the season, matching her total from all last year.

Freshman Lillie Teague drove in a run with a groundout in the second and scored the Mules' final run on a two-out single by Hulsen in the fifth.