Phoenixville, PA - Highlanders claim first half of Conference double-header. 

Game 1: 
The Highlanders jumped out to an early lead behind a strong 7 run performance in the first inning. Senior catcher Myiah Petroro (Long Island, NY / Liberty University Online Academy) got things started with a lead off triple. Cairn (4-12 / 1-3 UNITED EAST)kept it rolling with 3 more hits to start the game. After Valley Forge ( finally recorded the first out of the game, Freshman infielder Jessica Tracy (Lincoln Park, NJ) slugged a triple to reignite the Highlander offense. Cairn collected 4 more hits capped off by a single by Petroro to drive in a pair of Highlander runs. By the end of the top of the first inning Cairn led 7-0. The Patriots struck back in the bottom half of the inning for 4 runs of their own. The 2nd inning saw more offensive firepower from the Highlanders, including sophomore infielder Aerynne Mays (Easton, PA / Penn State Brandywine) and classmate first baseman Korina Feliciano (Cherry Hill, NJ / Cherry Hill West) each collecting 2 hits in the inning. Petroro also connected on her second triple of the day to drive in 2 runs. After Valley Forge scored another 3 runs in the bottom half the Highlanders led 15-7. The Patriots held the Highlanders scoreless in the 3rd and tacked on another run in the bottom half. In the top of the 4th Mays drove in another pair of Highlander runs. Valley Forge scored in the bottom of the inning once again making the score 17-9 going into the 5th inning. In the top of the 5th Petroro drove in another run with her 3rd triple of the day. Freshman Marah Lehman (Chambersburg, PA / Chambersburg) followed this up with an RBI triple of her own and Feliciano drove her in from 3rd to give Cairn a 20-9 advantage over the Patriots. Valley Forge was able to push one more run across in the bottom half of the inning but Cairn took game 1 20-10.

Game 2:
Cairn came out hot again scoring 8 runs in the first inning behind great plate vision leading to 7 walks. Valley Forge struck back for 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning. The 2nd inning went quickly with both teams failing to score a run. Valley Forge rattled off 5 runs in the bottom of the 3rd to give the Patriots the lead 9-8. In the top of the 4th sophomore utility player Riley Curtis (Newark, DE / Odessa) doubled home Feliciano from first base. In the bottom half of the 5th inning Valley Forge added 6 runs and then tacked on 2 more in the 6th. The Patriots won game 2 17-9.


Cairn will return to action Saturday April 4th when they host Gallaudet.