April 16, 2009
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Gina Massaro hurled a perfect game and Erica Vile blasted a first-inning grand slam to lead the La Salle softball team to an 8-0 five-inning win in the nightcap of the doubleheader against Rider. The Broncs won the first game 6-3 on Candice Harris' grand slam in the sixth.
Massaro got on base after being hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning. The bases loaded when Mary Pat Conville and Angelina Bisbiglia drew back-to-back walks to set up Vile's grand slam to left field.
The Explorers added four more in the fourth as the entire lineup batted through. Breanna DiTommaso led off the inning with a hard single that ricocheted off the outside of first baseman Lauren Brunner's glove. She advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on Alicia Dela Rosa's second hit of the game, a single through the left side.
Ali Shepherd followed up by hitting into a fielder's choice, but DiTommaso scored on the play for the second run of the inning. One out later, Conville belted a single through the left side to put runners at first and second. Shepherd and Conville scored the seventh and eighth runs in the game on Angelina Bisbiglia's double to left field.
Three straight outs in the top of the fifth ended the game early.
No Bronc batter reached base in the game to give Massaro her first career perfect game. She faced 15 batters and registered three strikeouts in the win. Bronc rookie pitcher Rachael Matreale pitched four innings, gave up eight runs on eight hits, walked four and struck out nine.
The Explorers were on track to win the first game as well, but Harris' late grand slam sunk the home squad 6-3.
Laura Gallagher belted a two RBI single to right center to put the Explorers up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. She scored Massaro and Conville, who reached on consecutive hits.
The home team added another run in the second. Dela Rosa ripped a single to left center and advanced to second on Shepherd's at-bat. She gained two bases and crossed home plate on an error by Brunner, who played second in the first game.
The Broncs cut the lead to 3-2 when Candice Harris singled down the left field line and Brittany Eckett followed up with a two-run home run to left field.
The Explorers were held at three runs over the next several innings as Bronc pitcher Kelsey Krisch limited the Explorer bats to one hit over the final four innings. A single and two walks in the top of the sixth loaded the bases with one out. It appeared that Explorer pitcher Kristen Paoletti would work out of the jam as she forced a grounder to third, which Dela Rosa threw home for the force-out and the second out. However, Harris got hold of a pitch and put it over the centerfield fence for the game-winning grand slam.
Krisch issued two walks and Eckett committed an error at third to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but Krisch registered a strikeout to end the game at 6-3.
Paoletti suffered the loss in the pitcher's circle. She went all seven innings, gave up six runs on eight hits, struck out three and walked five. Krisch earned the W for the Broncs as she also went the distance. She gave up three runs - two earned - on five hits, walked seven and struck out eight.
The Explorers return to the field on Friday (4/17) for the first of two games against conference foe Dayton. First pitch is slated for 3:00 PM.
