April 24, 2008
Box Score
CAMDEN, NJ- The La Salle Explorers (20-22, 6-10 A-10) reached the 20 win plateau for the first time in a decade as they swept the Manhattan College Lady Jaspers (8-28, 3-8 MAC) 1-0 and 8-6 on Thursday afternoon.
Explorer sophomore pitcher Laura Beth McCreesh improved to 9-5 on the season as she knocked in the only run of the game to lead La Salle to a 1-0 win in the first game.
In the top of the second inning the Explorers got themselves into a jam with a single and then two walks to load the bases, but freshman shortstop Ali Shepherd nailed the runner out at home and senior catcher Michelle Sullivan got the runner at first to convert a double play to end the Lady Jasper's hopes.
La Salle got out of another bases-loaded jam in the third as junior right-fielder Teddi Hernandez caught a fly ball and gunned it to home plate for two outs and McCreesh got the next batter to ground out to send the Explorers up to bat.
McCreesh knocked in sophomore Mary Pat Conville- who had reached on an error and advanced on a passed ball- to score the only run La Salle would need as they took a 1-0 victory.
The Explorers fell behind 5-0 in game two in the first inning as the Jaspers opened up with three straight singles to score a run, followed by an error and three walks by La Salle.
La Salle fought back as sophomore Gina Massaro reached on a Jasper error, and Conville walked, but Jasper hurler Ashley Rampino got two fly balls to end the inning.
The Jaspers added another run in the top of the fourth courtesy of two La Salle errors to take a 6-0 lead.
La Salle strung together a rally in the bottom of the fourth as McCreesh walked and Shepherd advanced her with a single through the left infield gap, but the Jaspers would get a lineout and grounder to end the Explorers' chances.
In the bottom of the fifth an error and subsequent walk would put junior Danielle Signorelli on first and Massaro on second for the Explorers. Conville blasted a ground-rule double and McCreesh had an RBI single to cut the Jasper lead 6-3.
Conville reached on an error in the sixth to load the bases and sophomore Angelina Bisbiglia singled up the middle. Sullivan reached on an infield single to tie it at 6-6, and McCreesh hit a sacrifice fly to score and give La Salle their first lead at 7-6. Curcio scored another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-6.
McCreesh improved to 10-5 with the save.
The Explorers host Fordham University on Sunday, May 4th for a 12:00 PM doubleheader.
