April 2, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, PA- The La Salle Explorers (9-17, 3-6 A-10) dropped the first game 6-2 to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers (16-8, 3-1 Ivy) on a sunny afternoon in Philadelphia and fell 5-4 in extra innings in the night cap.
Freshman shortstop Ali Shepherd (Philadelphia, PA/ Creative & Performing Arts) got a single to start things off for the Explorers in the first, but Penn pitcher Jess Lupardus retired the next two La Salle hitters to send Penn up to bat.
The Quakers got two hard hits off La Salle ace Gina Massaro (Havertown, PA/ Hartford) and a wild pitch and catcher interference loaded the bases for Penn with no outs. A sacrifice fly gave the Quakers their first score, and a grand slam by Penn's Susan Miller put her team ahead 5-0.
Sophomore Laura Beth McCreesh (Philadelphia, PA/ St.Basil) led off the third with a double to center field, and freshman Laura Gallagher (Drexel Hill, PA/ Sacred Heart Day School) followed with a single. Shepherd walked to load the bases and a Penn fielding error put the first La Salle run across. Sophomore Angelina Bisbiglia (Sewell, NJ/ Camden Catholic) walked to score Gallagher and make it 5-2.
Massaro got La Salle out of jam with runners on first and second in the bottom of the third with a strikeout to end the inning.
A throwing error would give the Quakers another run in the bottom of the fourth as they held a 6-2 advantage.
Massaro led off the fifth with a bunt to get on base, but the Explorers could not string anything together as three batters were retired 1-2-3. With the bases loaded for Penn in the bottom of the fifth, Shepherd threw the runner out at the plate, and a pop-up to right field kept the Explorers' untouched for the inning.
La Salle's Massaro goes to 2-8 with the loss.
In game two, Bisbiglia homered to give the Explorers a 2-1 edge, but an RBI single in the bottom of the inning by Penn tied it at 2.
In the top of the fourth, Massaro smacked a two RBI single to score both Shepherd and junior Teddi Hernandez (Hanford, CA/ Hanford).
The Quakers came back with a homer in the sixth, and then La Salle pitcher McCreesh (Philadelphia, PA/ St. Basil) walked in the tying run in the seventh to send the game into extra innings at 4-4.
An RBI single to right field scored the winning run for Penn in the bottom of the ninth, as McCreesh went to 5-3 with the loss.
The Explorers will host Manhattan for a doubleheader on Friday, set to begin at 3:00 PM, played at Rutgers-Camden.
