SCHENECTADY, N.Y. The Union College softball team, ranked #2 in the NCAA Division III Northeast Region, clinched the Liberty League regular season title with a home sweep over the third ranked team in the region, Rensselaer, Monday by scores of 7-1 and 3-2 at Alexander Field.

The Dutchwomen, winners of nine straight, improved to 26-4 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League. The Red Hawks are now 19-6-1 overall and 6-4 in the conference.

In game one, junior pitcher Abby Arceneaux (Mechanicville/ Mechanicville) struck out a season-high 16 and allowed one earned run to improve to 12-2 on the season. She scattered seven hits and did not walk a batter. The top three Dutchwomen in the batting order, Arceneaux, Kelly Owings (Oswego/Oswego) and Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk/ Dunkirk) had three hits each, and Gawronski and Catherine Kielb (Rensselaer/Columbia) each drove in three runs. Nikki Dooley (Colonie/Colonie) took the loss for the Red Hawks. She gave up 15 hits and six earned runs while walking one and striking out three to fall to 6-3 on the season. Amy Huling (Vienna, VA/Holton-Arms School), Dooley and Abby Eldridge (Northfield, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon) had two hits each for Rensselaer.

Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, highlighted by an RBI single by Gawronski and a two-run double by Kielb. The Red Hawks scored twice in the top of the second with RBI singles by Dooley and Eldridge. But Gawronski added another RBI single in the fourth and the hosts scored three in the bottom of the sixth to open it up, with another Gawronski RBI single highlighting the inning.

In the nightcap, the Red Hawks scored in the top of the first off Union's Jackie Coffey (Boston, MA/Boston Latin), who entered the game with a personal 12-game winning streak. Liz Vitaliano (Shirley/William Floyd) led off the game with a double and after advancing to third on a sacrifice, scored on an infield throwing error. Union took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the fourth. Gawronski led off with a single and went to third on a single by Colleen White (Westport, CT/Staples). Kielb drove in Gawronski with a single and after a fielder's choice forced White at third, Beth Carcone (Utica/New Hartford) doubled home Kielb.

Rensselaer tied it in the sixth. Logan Russell (Cranbury, NJ/Princeton) reached on a fielder's choice and went to third on a double by Melissa Manzo (Jersey City, NJ/St. Dominic Academy). Eldridge then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Rusell and tie the game at 2-2. Union's Kielb led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, and after a bunt moved her to second, Beth Carcone beat out an infield hit and an infield throwing error on the play sent Kielb home from second for the eventual winning run.

Coffey, who has not lost since March 22, improved to 14-2. The junior allowed one earned run, seven hits and walked three while posting seven strikeouts. Huling gave up eight hits and two earned runs while walking two to fall to 8-2.