April 11, 2010
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Two home runs and a triple accounted for six RBI in the first game as the La Salle softball team upset Saint Louis for the second year in a row on Sunday at West Campus Field. The Explorers earned the 8-2 win before falling 1-0 in a game two pitcher's duel to split the twinbill. The Explorers move to 9-17 overall, 2-8 in the Atlantic 10, while the Billikens are now 19-17 overall and 7-3 in league play.
Gina Massaro and Shannon Skomorucha both went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Liz Reed added a 2-for-3 outing also with two RBI in game one. Skomorucha and Reed accounted for both long balls and Massaro's two-run triple proved to be the game-winning hit. Massaro went a team-leading 4-for-7 on the day.
The offense was a major factor in Sunday's win, but the defense was also nearly flawless in preventing the Billikens from capitalizing on baserunners. The visitors left 10 on base in game one.
"I am very happy with the way the team came out prepared to play," Head Coach Brianne Brown said. "Saint Louis is consistently a very strong team within the conference. I believe our win last year against them helped the team's confidence coming into this weekend. I am proud of the complete game effort."
Saint Louis got on the scoreboard first with a leadoff home run by Liz Jones in the top of the second before the Explorers opened season with three runs in the bottom of the third. Laura Gallagher drew a leadoff walk and advanced a base on Heather Brabazon's sac bunt. Reed bunted for a single on the next at-bat to put runners at first and second, both of whom scored when Massaro blasted her three-base-hit to the fence in right center. Ali Shepherd followed up with a single just out of reach of Billiken second baseman Rachel Faletto, which allowed Massaro to score for the third run of the inning.
The Explorers tacked on another run in the fourth when Shepherd drew a bases loaded walk to score Skomorucha, who reached earlier in the inning on a single up the middle. Also on base were Brabazon, who drew a walk, and Massaro, who singled to center.
A bases-loaded walk in favor of the Billikens in the top of the fifth added their second run of the game, but the Explorers answered right back with four more in the bottom of the frame.
DJ Guinn drew a leadoff walk and Megan Codagnone came in to pinch run. Erica Vile moved Codagnone to second with a sac bunt before Skomorucha lofted the ball over the left field fence for the two-run homer. Gallagher walked on the next at-bat, which prompted a Billiken pitching change. Emma DeKalb came in to relieve starter Kelcie Matesa and after registering a strikeout, Reed came up and answered with a two-run home run to right center to put the score at 8-2, the eventual final.
"The girls knew we had to be aggressive offensively from the start and they came through tremendously," Brown said.
The Billikens got two baserunners in the sixth, but never seriously threatened down the stretch.
Laura Beth McCreesh picked up the win in the pitching circle. She went five complete innings, giving up just two runs on six hits. She also fanned four and issued four walks. Massaro closed out the final two innings, limiting Billiken bats to just one hit. She also struck out three and walked three. Matesa suffered the loss for the Billikens, going 4.1 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits, striking out six and walking five.
Saint Louis jumped on the board in the top of the first inning in the second game, scoring one run on a RBI single by Faletto, the only score of the game. The remainder of the game proved to be a pitcher's duel between Massaro and Billiken pitcher Hannah Huebbe. Massaro aided her own effort with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate in game two, with singles in the third and sixth innings.
The Explorers gained momentum in the bottom of the seventh as runners were on second and third with one out, before Huebbe forced the two remaining outs to dash the hopes of the cheering Explorer faithful. Mary Pat Conville led off the inning with a single up the middle. Her hit moves her four away from the 150-hit mark for her career. Vile drew a walk, and both Conville and Vile advanced to second and third on a passed ball before the two remaining outs were recorded.
Massaro went the distance in game two and registered five strikeouts. She gave up just one run on six scattered hits and issued one walk. Huebbe also went the distance, scattering three hits, striking out four and walking two.
The Explorers wrapped up their eight-game homestand and now head on the road for two midweek doubleheaders. They play at Maryland-Baltimore County on Tuesday at 2:00 PM and at Drexel on Thursday at 3:00 PM.
