BENNINGTON, Vt. - Johnson State softball earned a split of a doubleheader at Southern Vermont College on Sunday winning game one 13-6 and then fall in the second game 12-4 in five innings.  The Badgers are now 4-10 overall while Southern Vermont sits at 2-10.

Johnson 13, Southern Vermont 6

In the opening game of the day the Badgers scored in five of the game's seven innings and exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh to turn a 7-5 game into a comfortable 13-6 non-conference win.

Sophomore Erica Pustari (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) went 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, two runs and a stolen base to spark the Badgers offense while junior pitcher Meagan Russ (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) picked up the winning decision going all seven innings, allowing six earned runs on 13 hits, and striking out five.

Sophomore Maria Gleason (Enosburg Falls, Vt./Enosburg) went 3-for-5 with two RBI and run while junior Tanya Randall (Fryeburg, Maine/Fryeburg Academy) (pictured) went 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs scored, and an RBI.

Johnson put strung together eight hits in the pivotal top of the seventh inning including a two-run single by Gleason to key the win.

Southern Vermont 12, Johnson 4 - 5 Innings

In the second game the host Mountaineers saw Johnson score three runs in the top of the first inning but then connected on seven hits and took advantage of four JSC errors to put on nine runs in the bottom of the inning.  SVC pitcher Haley McDonald settled in from there allowing just three hits over the next four innings to earn the 12-4 win in five innings.

Johnson freshman pitcher Kristy McDonnell (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) took the loss with a four innings pitched in which she allowed 13 hits and six earned runs while striking out two.

Sophomore Emily Himberg (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley) drilled a two-run double in first inning to finish 1-for-3 with two RBI while Pustari also went 1-for-3 with an RBI double.

Johnson will now play at Middlebury College next Sunday at 12:00 pm in a non-conference doubleheader while Southern Vermont moves on to play at Green Mountain College on Wednesday for a pair on Wednesday starting at 3:30 pm.