PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – La Salle softball will look to continue their recent roll when they make the short trip to University City to take on Big 5 rival Penn on Thursday. The Explorers are scheduled for a twi-night double-header with the Quakers with the opening pitch of Game 1 scheduled for 4:00 PM.
 
La Salle Explorers (8-8; 2-0 A-10) at Penn Quakers (4-9; 0-0 Ivy League)
Thursday, March 27, 2014 | 4:00 & 6:00 PM | Penn Park – Philadelphia, Pa.
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Scouting the Explorers
La Salle enters Thursday's tussle with the Quakers coming off a strong start to their Atlantic 10 slate. The Explorers swept a double-header against St. Bonaventure, dispatching the Bonnies 8-1 in Game 1 and 9-7 in Game 2, for the team's first 2-0 start to the A-10 schedule since 2007. The Blue and Gold have been red-hot since turning things around on the final day of their spring break trip to the Rebel Spring Games. After starting the season 1-7, the Explorers are 7-1 over their last eight contests.
 
Much of the turnaround can be attributed to the offense. The La Salle bats have been red hot over their recent winning stretch, plating five or more runs in six of their last eight games. The Explorers racked up 18 hits and 17 runs in their two victories over the weekend. Most impressive is the power that La Salle displayed in taking two from the Bonnies. Nine of the Explorers 18 hits went for extra-bases, as they banged three doubles and six home runs.
 
Powering the Explorers all season has been senior centerfielder Megan Hodgson. She launched her team leading sixth homer of the season in Game 2 on Sunday, which propelled the Explorers to the 9-7 victory. She went 3-for-5 between the two games over the weekend, raising her average to .391 for the season, which is fifth best in the A-10 this season. She leads the conference by a wide margin in slugging percentage (.870), while she ranks second in the A-10 in home runs (6) and RBI's (22).
 
Freshman third baseman Christina Bascara also continued her torrid start to the season. She went 3-for-7 over the two games against St. Bonaventure, while crushing a solo-shot to cap the Explorer scoring in Game 2. The homer was the first of her Explorer career. She currently ranks third in the conference in batting average (.404) and fourth in on-base percentage (.472).
 
What was most encouraging about the Explorers weekend performance was the team's ability to generate runs throughout the lineup. While the Blue and Gold have been carried by the play of Hodgson and the trio of freshmen starters (Christina Bascara, Michelle Hagarty, Suzanne Swanicke) throughout much of the early season, some veterans stepped to the forefront on Sunday.
Junior first baseman Erica Reis and Senior second baseman Emily Moran played a major role in the two victories over the Bonnies. Reis went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run, while adding five RBI. The home run, a two-run blast to break open a competitive Game 1, was the first of her Explorer career. She also knocked in the game-winning run on an RBI single in Game 2. Moran had a day to remember as well, launching solo-shots in both games of the double-header. With both of these veterans getting hot at the right time, they will help strengthen the overall depth of the Explorer lineup.
 
While the hitting has been strong over the Explorers recent stretch, they have also gotten strong pitching from their staff leader Alicia Aughton. The junior has grown into a legitimate ace in her third season for the Blue and Gold. She threw another gem on Sunday in Game 1, notching her fifth victory in as many appearances. She went the distance, pitching a complete game five-hitter, while allowing one run and fanning three. The performance lowered her earned run average to a conference leading 2.30, while she also holds the conference's top spot for opponent's batting average against (.210).
 
Scouting the Quakers
Penn enters Thursday's double-header with a 4-9 record on the season. It has been a rollercoaster year for the Quakers thus far, as they have sandwiched a four-game winning streak between four and five-game losing streaks to begin the year. Penn has been stuck in one of their down stretches, entering Thursday on a five-game losing streak. Most recently the Quakers dropped both games of a double-header against Big 5 rival St. Joseph's on Sunday, falling 5-2 in Game 1 and 5-0 in Game 2.
 
The Quakers have gone as their bats have gone thus far this season. During their four-game winning streak the team averaged just shy of nine runs per game (8.75), however in their nine losses they have averaged less than two runs per game (1.55). The bats have struggled even more mightily over their current five-game losing streak. They have scored just three runs total over their last five contests.
 
Junior outfielder Sydney Turchin leads the Quakers in hitting. She has been the table-setter at the top of the lineup, leading the team in batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.404), and stolen bases (4).
 
Freshman outfielder Leah Allen is the Quakers top run producer. She has had a great start to her Penn career, leading the team in homers (3), slugging percentage (.622), RBIs (16) and runs scored (10). Seven of her 15 hits have gone for extra-bases.
 
Pitching has been the strength of Penn's ball club thus far this season. The Quakers current losing streak certainly cannot be attributed to their inability to prevent runs. They have allowed just 16 runs over their last five games, allowing just north of three runs per game over the stretch (3.2). Overall, the staff's combined earned run average is a spectacular 2.79.
 
Junior Alexis Borden is the workhorse of the staff, leading all pitchers with 43.1 innings pitched and 56 strikeouts. She has marked a 2-5 record on the season, while holding a stingy 2.16 earned run average.
 
Freshman Alexis Sargent has been even more impressive than Borden. Although she doesn't possess the high strikeout total of Borden, she has been even stingier in the pitching circle. She leads the Quakers staff with a miniscule 1.40 earned run average, entering Thursday with a 2-2 record on the season.
 
Up Next
The Explorers will head west for their Atlantic 10 road opener against Dayton. The Blue and Gold will look to maintain their perfect mark in the conference with a twin-bill against the Flyers on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM.