ELON, N.C. – In the first day of the Elon Invitational, the La Salle softball team (0-4) dropped a pair of games. The Explorers fell to the hosting Phoenix in their first game of the day, 9-0, in five innings and slipped up in the final inning against Lafayette, 7-3.
ELON 9, La SALLE 0
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elon scored six in the second and three in the third to jump out to a 9-0 lead after three innings of play.
- La Salle was only able to record one hit in the game, with freshman Cailey Joyce getting a base knock in the fifth.
INSIDE THE CIRCLE:
- Sophomore Morgan Orlowski (0-2) started the game, allowing six runs with only one earned through two innings of work. Orlowski walked three and struck out two.
- Senior Marlo Roadcap came on in relief for 0.1 of an inning. The senior allowed three earned runs on five walks, a hit batter, and a wild pitch.
- Joyce pitched the remaining 1.2 innings and allowed just one hit, a walk, and sent one down on strikes.
LAFAYETTE 7, La SALLE 3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Explorers cracked the scoreboard first in the second inning with sophomore Ashley Mendenhall scoring on a wild pitch after she reached base safely with a double to left center.
- Lafayette took the lead in the top of the fourth with two scoring on an error for a 2-1 advantage.
- La Salle responded in the bottom half of the inning, plating two to regain the lead, 3-2. Senior Emma Schweigert doubled to right center, driving Mendenhall in, who reached on a walk. Joyce was up next and repeated Schweigert with a double to the same location for an RBI double. Three batters later, freshman Audrey LaBouliere notched her first career hit through the right side to plate Joyce from second.
- In the top of the seventh, the Leopards brought in five runs to regain the lead, 7-4.
INSIDE THE CIRCLE:
- Joyce started the game and fared well in her second career start. The rookie completed six innings of work and allowed six hits, two runs, and one earned. She struck out three in the game and gave up one walk.
- Orlowski (0-3) pitched the final inning and received the decision. She gave up five runs, including four earned, on five hits.
UP NEXT:
La Salle plays at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning against Oakland to complete play in the Elon Invitational.