Softball | March 8, 2017

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLEARWATER, Fla. – The La Salle softball team (7-5) dropped both games of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, getting edged 3-1 by South Dakota State (8-13) after a 12-0 defeat to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (14-4).

SIUE 12, La Salle 0
The Cougars scored four runs in the top of the 1^st against McKenzie Peace (L, 3-2), although three of the runs were unearned after a La Salle fielding error with one out. Reilly Gearhart entered to get the final out and held SIUE scoreless for the next two innings.

The Explorers couldn't get anything going against Emily Ingles (W, 3-1) before the Cougars added three more runs in the 4^th and five in the 5^th. La Salle drew three walks in the bottom of the 5^th to load the bases but couldn't push any runs across.   

South Dakota State 3, La Salle 1 
Val Pineiro put La Salle in front 1-0 with a solo homer in the 2^nd inning off Ashlyn Bender (W, 6-4). Bender limited the Explorers to four hits over the next three innings before Abby Deane entered for a six-out save.

La Salle starter Marlo Roadcap (L, 4-1) allowed just one earned run in 6.1 innings, although two runs scored after an Explorer throwing error in the 4^th inning. 

The Explorers will play five games over the weekend in the USF Under Armour Invitational, beginning with a Friday doubleheader against Indiana State and Savannah State.