March 22, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, PA- La Salle University Softball (8-12, 2-4 A-10) dropped two games to the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen (14-11, 4-0 A-10) 9-0 and 12-2 in Atlantic 10 competition on Saturday afternoon. A bright spot for La Salle came in the first inning of game two, when sophomore Angelina Bisbiglia (Sewell, NJ/ Camden Catholic) smacked a two-run homer to give the Explorers a brief lead.
In the first game UMass knocked a two-run homerun off Explorer sophomore hurler Laura Beth McCreesh (Philadelphia, PA/ St. Basil) to take the lead in the first. La Salle's Gina Massaro (Havertown, PA/ Hartford) singled to get the Explorers' only hit of the game, but got no help as she was left stranded.
UMass doubled in two more runs in the second, and added another in the third to go up 5-0. UMass pitcher Brandice Balschmiter retired the side in the bottom of the fourth, and had 11 strikeouts in the game.
A big seventh inning for the Minutewomen included a two run homer off relief pitcher Kristin Paoletti (Aldan, PA/ Archbishop Prendergast) that would make the final UMass 9, La Salle 0. The loss was the first for McCreesh on the rubber as she goes to 5-1 on the season.
La Salle led 2-0 in game two, until a three-run third inning for UMass gave them a 3-2 edge. The Explorers' could not find an answer for UMass ace Bailey Sanders as she retired the side 1-2-3 for the next three innings.
Freshman pitcher DJ Guinn (Ronnert Park, CA/ Rancho Cotate) started for La Salle and gave up five hits in 3.0 innings. Paoletti came in again to pitch in the fourth for the Explorers, but the two Minutewomen scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.
A two-run triple for UMass in the top of the seventh continued to push the lead as the Explorers' went up to bat down 12-2. Bisbiglia led off with a double, followed by senior Michelle Sullivan's (Gibbstown, NJ/ Paulsboro) single, but a strikeout and groundout would end it for La Salle.
Next up for La Salle will be a road trip to Georgetown on Tuesday, March 25th at 4:00 PM.
