WATERTOWN, Wis. – One day after tallying just six hits and one run in two games, the Edgewood College softball team exploded for 22 hits and 23 runs in a sweep over Maranatha Baptist University. The Eagles earned a 7-2 victory over the Crusaders in game one and a 16-2 blowout in the nightcap.

Maranatha struck early, scoring two in the first inning but that deficit was quickly erased in the following frame. Katie Landon drew a walk to begin the inning and scored one batter later after Alexis Unser pounded a triple. Karlie Klossner brought in Unser with a groundout to even the score at 2-2. The Eagles grabbed their first lead in the fourth as Carlene DeCoster brought in a pair with a single. Edgewood College (14-15) threatened to score more but left a runner on second and third.

In the circle, Jackie Diesch earned her third start of the year and was dealing. After surrendering three hits and one earned run in the first, the sophomore struck out six and gave up just one hit in her final four frames. The Eagles continued to tack on runs, plating a score in the fifth, sixth, and seventh. Rachel DeJongh came into close out the game and struck out three without allowing a hit in the final two innings.

The Eagles were just getting warmed up as they unleashed for 16 runs on 13 hits in the game two. Kylie Clark was the first to cross after she doubled and DeCoster brought her in. Maranatha (2-15) scored a pair on three hits in the first, but after starting pitcher Katelyn Welsh got out of the jam, the Eagles backed her at the plate. Clark registered an RBI groundout in a three-run second and Katie Landon ripped a two-run double in the third. Three more came in to score in the fourth, highlighted by Dylan Bahrke's two-run single. Already up 9-0, Edgewood College piled on seven more runs on just three hits in the fifth. Tiffani Pierce and Diesch each recorded RBI singles in the inning.

In her first start of the year, Welsh settled down after the first inning. The freshman scattered eight hits and struck out one in the complete game victory.

The Eagles went wild on the base paths, stealing a combined 19 bases in 20 attempts in the two games. Previously, the Edgewood College team record for most stolen bases in a game was eight, but the Eagles topped that in both games today, tallying nine in the first and 10 in the second. DeCoster led the attack with five while Pierce had four. Pierce also went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs batted in. Landon had a three-hit day as well, going 3-for-5 and drawing three walks. DeCoster joined the two with three hits in addition to three RBI.

The Eagles will return to NACC play on Saturday as the host Alverno College for Senior Day. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. from Ceniti Park in Verona with live video and stats available.