April 17, 2005
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette ended Army's 12-game winning streak in the opener, scoring six runs in the third inning on the way to a 7-3 victory in Patriot League softball action on Sunday.
The Black Knights put up seven in the fifth of the second game for an 11-2 win. Freshman Kristen Ruckno hit her fifth home run of the season and second in as many days for the Leopards.
Army (26-16, 12-4 PL) opened the scoring in game one as Darcy Wilson singled in Lindsay March. The score remained 1-0 until the home half of the third, when Lafayette (8-29, 3-13 PL) used timely hitting and a costly Army error to seize control of the game with a six-run frame.
Samantha Lucas and Michelle Ellis started the inning with singles, and Ruckno walked to load the bases. After a force out at home, Ellis scored on a wild pitch and Megan Averbuch drew another walk to put a runner at every base. An error by the Black Knights' shortstop allowed Ruckno to come home.
Amy Gimma greeted relief pitcher Veronica Barth with a run-scoring single to center, and Gianna Lopreato followed with a double to left field that brought two more runners to the plate. Gimma later scampered home on a wild pitch before Army got out of the inning.
The Leopards got another run in the fourth to make the score 7-1, as Averbuch's double plated Ellis, who walked and stole second.
Army touched Averbuch for two runs in the fifth on a homer by Lindsey Gerheim, but the sophomore hurler held the Black Knights scoreless the last two innings and earned her fourth win of the year. Leigh Harrell suffered the loss for Army to fall to 8-7.
Averbuch struck out five, didn't walk a batter, and gave up eight hits in the complete game effort. Gimma and Lucas both had two hits in the win, while Gerheim and Veronica Lauzon collected two hits each for Army.
Army got off to a hot start in the second game, scoring three runs before Lafayette recorded an out. Lauren Gobar, Gerheim and Wilson all doubled, while March had a single from the second spot in the order. A pair of long fly balls settled into the gloves of the Leopard outfielders to prevent further damage.
Ellis walked to lead off the bottom of the first for Lafayette, and Ruckno connected with an offering from Kelly Trout for her fifth homer of the season. Jen Rothrock '97 holds the Lafayette single-season record with seven home runs.
The game settled into a 3-2 pitchers duel until Army scratched out a run in the fourth on a walk and two singles. The Black Knights opened the floodgates in the fifth, sending 13 batters to the plate with seven coming around to score.
Wilson and Lisa Huntington jacked back-to-back homers over the new fencing in center field to start the inning. Army scored five more runs without the benefit of an extra-base hit, and just two balls left the infield. Gerheim and Lauzon had run-scoring singles in the frame.
Kelly Trout improved to 4-2 with the win, allowing three hits in four innings of work. Harrell entered to pitch a scoreless fifth. Lauren Belowich was the pitcher of record for the Leopards.
Lafayette will host Delaware State on Tuesday, April 19 in a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.
