Schenectady, NY (May 6, 2005) Union closed out its regular season on a 13-game win streak by sweeping Skidmore at home Friday afternoon in Liberty League softball action. Junior Abby Arceneaux (Mechanicvile, NY) pitched a four-hit shutout in a 2-0 game one win before the Dutchwomen brought out the bats in game two to earn a 10-1 decision. Union improves to 30-4 overall and finished with a perfect 8-0 record in league play. Earlier in the week they earned the program's highest-ever national ranking by moving up to the No. 8 spot in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll. Skidmore fell to 10-19 overall and 1-7 in the Liberty League.

Union got on the board early with an RBI single by Catherine Kielb (Rensselaer, NY) in the first inning. Kielb drove in Kelly Owings (Oswego, NY) who was hit by a pitch. Union's second run came in the fourth inning when Beth Carcone (Utica, NY) was brought in by Jessica Lawton (Weare, NH) who reached base on an error by Skidmore's shortstop.

Arceneaux dominated on the mound for the Dutchwomen, striking out 10 of the 24 batters she faced. Skidmore could not get anything going on offense, going three up, three down in four of the seven innings.

In game two Union took advantage of two errors by Skidmore in the second and third innings for its 30^th win of the season. Union scored again in the first inning to take the lead when Erika Eisenhut (Mohawk, NY) drove in Arceneaux, who led things off with a double to center field. Skidmore answered in the top half of the second when Adrienne Baker singled home Lisa Mason with two outs. Mason led off the inning with a double to left center.

Skidmore committed two of its three errors in the game during the bottom half of the second to open the door for a four-run inning by Union. The first came on an errant throw to home on a force out attempt by Mason who was playing third. That allowed Carcone to come home with the bases loaded and only one out. On the next play Mason misplayed the ball to allow Eisenhut to reach base and two more runs to come in. Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk, NY) drove in the final run of the inning with a single to center field that brought in Arceneaux. Skidmore pitcher Katelyn Kennedy kept her composure and got out of the inning by forcing the next two batters to hit into outs.

Leading by a 5-1 count, Union added five more runs in the third that was capped off when Gawronski came home from third base on a wild pitch with two outs. Senior Karyn Rautenberg (Boston, MA) led off the inning with a double to left field.

Coffey picked up the win for Union in game two. She allowed just one run on five hits and struck out three batters. Eisenhut and Gawronski backed up Coffey on offense. Both players went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and scored one run apiece.

Kennedy suffered the loss in both games for Skidmore. In game one she allowed one earned run on four hits with two strikeouts before allowing six earned runs on 11 hits in 3.0 innings of work in game two.

Union must now play the waiting game to see where they will be seeded for the first round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament. The bracket will be released on Monday following the conclusion of this weekend's remaining games.