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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – La Salle softball had their three game winning streak snapped on Friday afternoon, falling to Massachusetts 9-4 at West Campus Field. With the loss, the Explorers split the two-game set with UMass as they walked-off the Minutewomen 3-0 on Thursday. The loss drops the Blue and Gold to 7-3 in A-10 play.
 
The Explorers (15-15; 7-3 A-10) entered Friday afternoon flying high after earning a long awaited victory over their conference counterpart. The Blue and Gold pitching staff had been lights out over their three-game winning streak entering the contest, entering Friday riding a 19 consecutive scoreless innings pitched streak.
 
Mary Cate Scott (L, 6-8) got the call to start the second game of the series. She had pitched five of those 19 innings in her last outing, blanking George Mason last Saturday. The Minutewomen proved not as forgiving in this one, touching Scott up for ten hits and eight earned runs over 5.1 total innings of work. 
 
Massachusetts (11-16; 5-3 A-10) jumped on the Explorers right off the hop as Scott battled to find command of the strike zone. They struck for one run in the first inning on a two-out double by Bridget Lemire that snuck just inside the first base bag. The Minutewomen added three more runs in the second on a single by Jena Cozza that plated two and a sacrifice fly from Taylor Carbone.
 
Scott would be lifted for freshman Val Buehler in the third inning. Buehler looked strong in her first appearance since April 1^st against Bucknell. She worked out of a jam in the third and stranded a leadoff double by Cozza in the fourth to keep the Explorers in it.
 
La Salle finally broke through against Minutewomen starter Tara Klee (W, 4-4) in the bottom of the fourth. Klee had been tiptoeing in and out of trouble throughout the game, but could not work her way out in the fourth.  She loaded the bases with three walks, setting the table for Emily Moran (1-2; 2B, 2RBI) who laced a two-out double down the left field line to plate Kendra Heyer (1-1; 2BB, R) and Christina Bascara (0-3; BB, R). Just like that the Explorer were back in the game.
 
The double forced Klee from the contest as Massachusetts turned the ball over to their ace Caroline Raymond. She was able to strand the runners on second and third as Hagarty flew out deep to right field.
 
The Blue and Gold rally did not last for long. Massachusetts answered with five runs of their own to break the game open at 9-2. After a lead off infield single, the Explorers lifted Buehler and reinserted Scott. Unfortunately, the breaks did not go in Scott's direction as UMass continued to find the holes in the Explorer defense.
 
La Salle attempted a late inning charge in the bottom of the sixth. They loaded the bases with no outs on a Heyer double and back-to-back walks from Marisa Kinneer and Alyssa Sims. Raymond was able to retire the next two hitters; however, Erica Reis (1-2; RBI) would single to center to chase Kinneer home. Suzanne Swanicke followed with an RBI walk to plate Sims. Suddenly, the Explorers could cut the deficit to just one as Bascara stepped to the plate. Bascara had a great at-bat spoiling several great pitches from Raymond, before ultimately swinging through a sizzling Raymond fastball to end the rally.
 
The Explorers will return to action tomorrow afternoon as they welcome Rhode Island for a crucial doubleheader at West Campus Field. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 12:00 PM.