DELAND, Fla.- The La Salle softball team grabbed their first win of the season thanks to two home runs on the day as they downed Stetson 5-3 in the consolation game of the Stetson Classic.
 
Sophomores Michelle Hagarty and Christina Bascara each hit home runs to fuel the Explorers to their first win of the year. Junior Mary Cate Scott threw 5.1 innings scoreless innings to earn the win.

"Great team win for us today over a really good Stetson team," said coach Shoemaker. "Hagarty and Bascara showed this team how good we can become."
 
The Explorers struck first in the top of the fifth inning when freshman Valerie Pineiro singled up the middle to drive in junior Kendra Heyer. Heyer had pinch ran for freshman Taylor Rohrbaugh who led off the inning with a walk. Sophomore Mackenzie Obert moved Heyer into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After Heyer advanced to third on a Erica Reis groundout to the right side, Pineiro came up big with the two out RBI.
 
The Hatters answered back in the bottom half of the inning, the hosts scored one run off of two hits to notch things up at 1-1.
 
La Salle would answer back themselves their next time up. Michelle Hagarty, who led the team last season in homeruns, hit the first of the season for the Explorers. Hagarty who led off the sixth inning, took a 3-0 pitch over the left field wall as the Explorer retook the lead at 2-1.
 
The Explorers weren't done though as Bascara reached with a walk with one out. Sophomore Suzanne Swanicke reached after attempting to sacrifice bunt and the Hatters threw the ball away allowing Bascara to reach third. Junior Alli Waddington would than pinch run for Bascara and was brought home as Kendra Heyer drove her in on a fielder's choice. The two run sixth inning would give the Explorers a 3-1 lead.
 
Stetson answered right back with two of their own in the bottom of the sixth notching things up at 3-3 heading to the decisive seventh inning.
 
Linette Siedler was hit by a pitch with two outs which brought up Bascara. The sophomore fell behind in the count 0-2 but would homer to center field driving in two runs to allow La Salle to regain the lead at 5-3.
 
Despite two Stetson runners reaching base and having the tying run in scoring position Mary Cate Scott was able to get the final out of the game with a fly out to right field.
 
Mary Cate Scott threw 5. Innings on the day allowing only two hits and no runs on the day. She also struck out three Stetson batters. Despite La Salle only having three hits on the day, two of which were homeruns, they were able to walk four times and used timely hitting to take advantage.
 
Juniors Mary Cate Scott and sophomore Christina Bascara were named to the all-tournament team for their performance over the three days of the Stetson Classic.
 
La Salle will return to action next weekend when they head to Baltimore to participate in the UMBC Spring Classic where they will take on Siena, Sacred Heart and Rhode Island in an out of conference matchup.