The Raven softball team hosted its 2014 HAAC home opener on Saturday against Graceland University and used 22 hits to pick up a sweep over the Yellowjackets and jump from ninth place in the HAAC standings to sixth.

Benedictine (9-14, 2-2 HAAC) took game one 8-0 in five innings and then scored six unanswered in game two to earn a 7-2 win and pick up the sweep over Graceland (6-22, 3-7 HAAC).

Katelyn Nill earned the start in the opener for the Ravens and picked up the win, limiting Graceland to just three hits while striking out seven.

Benedictine scored their eight runs off 9 hits, three of which were for extra bases in the win.

Chris Flucke went 2 for 4 at the plate with four RBIs of a single and two-run home run. Megan Eldredge added a double while Courtney Parker added a two-run home run. Sierra Esau rounded out the Ravens top hitters with a 2 for 2 game.

In game two, Katie Ricklefs earned the start. Coming off back-to-back shutouts last week, Ricklefs scattered one earned run off five hits over seven innings and held the Yellowjackets scoreless over the final four innings of play allowing the Raven offense to get back on track.

Benedictine connected on 13 hits in game two and after falling behind 2-1, the Ravens took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the third and never looked back.

Ricklefs helped her own cause with a 3 for 3 effort at the plate. Allison McCormick, Melanie Braun, Briana Rombach and Mary Jo Peter all recorded two hits at the plate with Peter picking up a double for the Ravens only extra-base hit in game two.

The Ravens return to the BC Softball Field at 1 p.m. Sunday as they host a HAAC doubleheader against Culver-Stockton College. Culver-Stockton is coming off a split against Avila University on Saturday. Culver dropped the first game with Avila, 3-1, before rallying for a 8-0 win in game two.