For a majority of the afternoon at Bracken Field, John Carroll's pitching and defense was making the difference.

In the final three innings, the Blue Streaks' offense was the difference maker in completing a sweep of the Hiram College Terriers in non-conference softball action Thursday.

Box Scores:  Game 1  /  Game 2

JCU held off Hiram in a closely fought 3-1 contest in the opener. Brittany Danilov (Canfield, OH, Canfield) was the story as she limited Hiram to an unearned run on four hits, striking out nine while walking just two in seven innings. She also supplied a two-run home run in the third inning to key the offense. 

Laura Boselovic (Wexford, PA, North Allegheny) was the lone player on either team with two hits, and she also drove in JCU's third run in the fourth innings.

The second game between the two Northeast Ohio rivals was not nearly as close. After a scoreless first inning, JCU drew first blood with two runs in the bottom of the second. Danilov and Mackenzie Griffin (Lake Oswego, OR, Lakeridge) each had RBI hits.

Hiram would tie the score with two runs in the top of the third, but the Blue Streaks answered with three markers in the bottom of the third and then ten in the fourth to put the game out of reach. 

In the third inning, Olivia Mathews (Suffield, OH, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) drove him the go-ahead run with a double, and Sam Thompson (Cheektowaga, NY, Maryvale) would follow two batters later with a home run.

The ten run fourth featured eight hits and a pair of bases loaded walks.

Thompson won her third game of the year on the mound by scattering two runs on four hits. In addition to aiding her own cause with a home run and three runs scored, other big contributors to the outburst were Matthews (two runs, three hits, four RBI), Danilov (one run, two hits, three RBI) and Erin Riccardi (North Canton, Hoover)(two runs, three hits, one RBI).