Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Alicia Aughton drove in four runs and hurled a complete game to lead the La Salle softball squad to a 6-3 win over Rhode Island on Friday afternoon at West Campus Field.

Aughton went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI to lead a group of five Explorers with multi-hit games. Friday's game marked the fourth straight multi-hit game for Liz Reed, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored and is now 8-for-13 in the last four games. Shannon Skomorucha added a 2-for-4 outing with two RBI, Kristin Travers went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Megan Hodgson batted 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Stacey Fox went 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Rams, who scattered five hits. Brittany Julich, Courtney Prendergast and Jocelyn Mattison also recorded hits.

"I'm very excited about how the team came out to play today and it was a great win," Head Coach Brianne Brown said. "We were solid on both sides of the ball and it's a great way to lead into the rest of the weekend."

Rhode Island (19-31-1, 3-13-1 Atlantic 10) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Julich led off with a single to third and Kelly Coker drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Prendergast hit into a fielder's choice with Julich out on the play, and Kelly Coker followed up with a stolen base and advanced to score on the throw for the game's first run. One out later, Mattison got her hit. She and Prendergast then scored on Fox's two-run double to put the visitors up 3-0.

La Salle (8-38, 2-15 Atlantic 10) got one back in the bottom of the frame. Reed blipped a one-out single down the right field line and advanced to second when Hodgson dribbled a ball back toward the circle that counted for a hit. Aughton then ripped her first hit of the game, a single to short center which drove in Reed, and advanced to second on a fielding error by Ram centerfielder Julich.

The Explorers took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second. Tristan Musho drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on Travers' single to center. One out later, Reed loaded the bases by ripping a single to left. With two outs, Aughton drew a bases-loaded walk and then Skomorucha drove in the go-ahead runs with a double to the left center fence.

Aughton doubled in two more runs in the fourth to put the home squad ahead 6-3, which held for the final. Reed drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and advanced on a Hodgson single to left. Reed and Hodgson put together a double steal to advanced to second and third to set up Aughton's two-run double to right center.

Ram starting pitcher Samantha Bedore was then relieved by Erika Szymanski and other than a hit batter, the Rams recorded three quick outs.

The remainder of the game went quickly, with neither team advancing any runners beyond second base. Rhody's Coker blasted a hard-hit liner in the seventh, but Aughton snagged it for the second out and forced a Prendergast flyout to end the game.

Aughton picked up her eighth win in the circle, hurling a complete game and giving up three runs on five hits and striking out three. Bedore took the loss for the Rams, going 3.0 innings and giving up seven hits while being charged with all six runs. Szymanski went 3.0, yielding four hits.

The Explorers and Rams square off again on Saturday at noon in another single game. The annual Senior Day ceremony, celebrating this year's three seniors - Skomorucha, Heather Brabazon and Breanna DiTommaso - will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m.