The Saint Joseph's softball team picked up its third consecutive win as the Hawks downed Penn, 4-1, on Wednesday afternoon at the SJU Softball Field.

Penn got on the board first as Sarah Cwiertnia slugged a solo home run to left in the top of the first, but the Hawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Pinch runner Kirstin Cox scored from third on a double steal to even the game, while Sarah Ostaszewski doubled home Ashley Hession to put the Hawks ahead.

Saint Joseph's (21-16) made it 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Taylor Marinelli scored off a fielding error by the Penn second baseman on a ball hit by Cox.

Ostaszewski added an insurance run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Amanda Kulp to push the lead to 4-1.

The combination of starter Chelsea Evans and relievers Amanda Herr and Ashley Stokes would keep Penn (18-14) off the board following the first inning to secure the win. Evans improved to 3-3 on the season as she allowed one earned run on three hits over 3.0 innings. Stokes picked up the save as she tossed a scoreless seventh inning, while Herr worked 3.0 innings and allowed just one hit.

Saint Joseph's returns to action with a three-game series at Fordham starting this Friday with a single game at 11 a.m.

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