April 2, 2011
Game 1 Stats
Game 2 Stats
PHILADELPHIA- The Charlotte 49ers took both games of a two-game set from the Explorers on Saturday afternoon at West Field. La Salle was unable to build on the 1-0 lead it gathered in the 4th inning, causing it to drop game one by a count of 6-1, before Charlotte pounded the Explorers in game two with four runs in the first inning, helping them cruise to a 5-2 win.
Senior Ali Shepherd went 2-for-6 on the day with two runs scored. Shepherd extended a four-game hitting streak to six games by getting a hit in each ballgame Saturday. Also extending a hitting-streak was freshman Megan Hodgson. Hodgson had two hits between the two games, putting herself on a five-game hitting streak.
(Game 1): In the pitching circle, senior DJ Guinn met the challenge posed by Charlotte senior Katy Hackett early on. Hackett came into Saturday's games with an ERA of 1.90 and 144 strikeouts through 23 appearances. Guinn hit her spots much of the day and found a way to keep the ball from leaving the infield, as she was able to get five 49ers to ground out through the first four innings.
La Salle took a 1-0 lead off Hackett after three straight hits to lead off the inning and to load the bases in the fourth inning with no outs. Freshman Jamie Dellinger brought sophomore Megan Codagnone home when she singled into left field.
The 49ers answered in their ensuing at-bat by loading the bases with one out to begin the inning. Kendra McCall's fielder's choice and Tenaya Tucker's single into center field gave the 49ers the lead, which it would not relinquish.
In the sixth when Charlotte was threatening to build on its 2-1 lead, senior Laura Beth McCreesh relieved Guinn after 5.2 innings of work, in which she allowed two runs on eight hits, threw three strikeouts and did not walk a batter for the second straight game.
McCreesh came in and nailed down the door in the sixth inning, striking out Chelsea Satemy to end the inning.
Charlotte tacked the rest of its runs on in the seventh inning by pounding out four runs on six hits, courtesy of two two-run rbi doubles by Tucker and Briana Gwaltney.
(Game 2): The 49ers put up a chunk of its runs in the first inning of the second game, as they got four runs on five hits off McCreesh. With the 49ers already up 1-0 in the inning, Gwaltney homered to extend the lead to 3-0. Jalisa Rock went on to knock in an rbi single up the middle later on in the inning.
Hodgson put La Salle on the board in its first at-bat of the game when she doubled to score Shepherd. The Explorers had the potential tying runner at the plate when freshman Jackie McBride stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. A strikeout tossed by Charlotte's Katie Watkins would be the dagger for the Explorers' chances in the opening inning.
After Charlotte brought its lead back to a four-run ballgame, the Explorers looked to once again tie the game when they had the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Two walks and a hit surrendered by Watkins in the inning was enough to end her day after she gave senior Kristen Paoletti a free pass to force a run home.
Hackett returned to the circle and pitched in relief of Watkins, as she interrupted any plans La Salle had at building a comeback by striking out Dellinger to retire the inning.
Junior Shannon Skomorucha got a late hit in the seventh inning with two outs, hoping to be the start of a rally, but a pinch hit strikeout Guinn endured from Hackett ended the game.
Skomorucha went 3-for-4 with three singles in Saturday's second game. Her 3-for-7 in the two games against the 49ers increased her batting average by 30 points, jumping from a .237 to a .267.
After three straight games home at West Field, La Salle (2-20, 0-6) will hit the road for three straight doubleheaders. The Explorers travel to Monmouth on Tuesday for a date with the Hawks at 3 and 5 PM.
La Salle will have another midweek two-game set on Thursday when it travels out to the Main Line to take on city-rival Villanova. Atlantic 10 Conference play resumes for the Explorers next Sunday in the Bronx, NY when they take on Fordham, before returning home April 12 against Drexel to begin a span in which they will host 12 of 14 games at West Field.
Highlights of Saturday's games will be posted here later on.
