TOWSON, Md. – The La Salle softball team (0-2) dropped a pair of games against Towson (6-3) on Saturday to begin the season. The Tigers claimed the first game 14-8 and second game 9-1.
 
TOWSON 14, LA SALLE 8
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Explorers took the early lead with four runs in the opening frame. A pair scored when junior Kaylee Piven reached on an error by the shortstop, followed by a single off the bat of rookie Makie Paxson to drive in another two.
• Towson responded in the home half with an RBI double to close the gap to 4-1.
• La Salle tallied three more in the second inning as sophomore Victoria Zatko doubled to right field with the bases loaded for three RBIs.
• Sophomore Casey Walker reached on a fielder's choice in the third inning to allow classmate Mia Recenello to touch home, which pushed the Blue & Gold up, 7-1.
• The Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the third with a seven-run inning on six hits and a pair of errors.
•  The game was tied for an inning and a half before the home team hung five in the fifth and another in the sixth for a 14-8 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Sophomore Lauren Begg went 3-for-5 in her return to the field after missing most of last season due to injury. She scored a run and stole one base.
• Senior Ashley Mendenhall, junior Natalie Rios, and Zatko each tallied a pair of hits.
• Rios scored twice, Mendenhall scored once, and Zatko added three RBIs, a walk, a run to her totals.
• Paxson finished the day 1-of-1 with a pair of RBIs before leaving the game.
• Piven drove in two and scored once.

INSIDE THE CIRCLE:

• Junior transfer Sarah Dowalo (0-1) made her debut for the Blue & Gold. She tossed 4.1 innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits and a pair of walks. She also fanned three.
• Sophomore Regan Ware also made her debut for the Explorers. Ware went 1.2 innings with five earned runs on six hits and a walk. She struck out one batter.

 
TOWSON 9, LA SALLE 1 – FIVE INNINGS
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Towson jumped ahead in the opening inning with four runs on five hits.
• Rookie Tessa Dodson launched a leadoff homer in the second to get the Explorers on the board.
• The Tigers claimed four more in the second with three hits to push the lead to 8-1.
• A hit and two errors in the fourth allowed Towson to add the eventual game sealing run to enforce the run rule in the fifth.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Dodson's homer was the first of her career and only hit in two trips.
• Zatko and sophomore Maddy Little each tallied a hit in a pair of at-bats each.

INSIDE THE CIRCLE:

• Ware (0-1) made the start for La Salle, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
• Dowalo came on in relief and allowed an unearned run off one hit in two innings of work.

UP NEXT:
La Salle finishes the series against Towson on Sunday at 2 p.m.