March 28, 2008

Box Score

AMBLER, PA- The La Salle Explorers (8-15, 2-5 A-10) dropped their fifth straight contest 5-4 to the Saint Louis University Billikens (12-15-1, 3-0 A-10) on Friday afternoon.  The Explorers were led by senior catcher Michelle Sullivan (Gibbstown, NJ/ Paulsboro) who went 2-4 at the plate with two RBIs.

The Explorers got an RBI single in the first from sophomore Angelina Bisbiglia (Sewell, NJ/ Camden Catholic) that scored freshman Ali Shepherd (Philadelphia, PA/ Creative & Performing Arts) who had reached on a walk.

With the bases loaded in the second, La Salle pitcher Gina Massaro (Havertown, PA/ Hartford) got the Billiken batter to fly out to end the inning and remain unscathed.

But Saint Louis came back in the third to score two runs with an RBI single, and a throwing error by Sullivan scored the second run.  The Explorers bounced right back to score two of their own when Sullivan singled in Mary Pat Conville (Jamison, PA/ Archbishop Wood) and Massaro to go up 3-2.

A big fifth inning by SLU put three more runs on the board as the Billikens surged ahead 5-3. 

Shepherd singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth, but the Explorers couldn't string anything together as a strikeout and fly out ended the inning.  That changed in the sixth when junior Danielle Signorelli (Jenkintown, PA/ St. Basil) doubled and scored on a Laura Beth McCreesh (Philadelphia, PA/ St. Basil) single to make it 5-4. 

Massaro got two strikeouts and a groundout in the seventh to put La Salle in a good position for their final at bat, and then she singled to lead off.  Conville reached on a fielder's choice, but that would be as far as the Explorers' would get as three consecutive outs followed to give SLU a 5-4 win.

Massaro had five strikeouts in seven complete innings.  The Explorers take on SLU again tomorrow for a 12:00 PM start at Temple-Ambler.