April 26, 2005
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Kristen Ruckno and Michelle Ellis provided late-inning heroics to give Lafayette a 6-5 win in eight innings in the first game, and Lauren Belowich threw a three-hit, 1-0 shutout in the second as the Leopards swept their final doubleheader of the season from Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday.
FDU scored one run in the second, third and fourth frames to claim a 3-0 lead before Therese Taraschi belted a solo homer to center field to lead off the home half of the fourth. The Knights scored another in the fifth, capitalizing on a pair of Lafayette errors. The Leopards returned the favor in the sixth, using two FDU miscues to score their second run of the game.
Lafayette used more FDU mistakes to notch its tenth win of the season. Samantha Lucas reached on an error by the second baseman to lead off the seventh, and after a strikeout, Ruckno launched her sixth home run of the season to level the score at 4-4. The Leopards had runners at second and third with one out following singles by Jill Masterton and Megan Averbuch, but were unable to push the winner across in regulation.
In the eighth inning, the Knights plated their runner from second on an errant throw after a sacrifice bunt attempt, but Averbuch stranded a runner at third with one out to prevent further damage and keep the deficit at 5-4.
Lafayette wasn't able to bunt its runner to third, and faced a two-out, tying run on first base situation when the Knights' second baseman misplayed a ground ball that resulted in the tying and winning runs advancing to second and third. Ellis bounced a chopper over the third baseman, and Amy Levinson and Samantha Lucas raced home for the victory.
Averbuch was victimized by four errors, giving up just two earned runs and striking out nine. FDU starter Ashley Buchanan was more unfortunate in suffering the loss. The defense made six miscues behind her, resulting in four unearned runs.
The fielding improved in the second game, and the first run of the game proved to be the difference. After Lauren Belowich set the tone for the game by striking out the first two batters in a one-two-three inning, Ellis started the Leopard offense with a single to right field. Ruckno dropped a sacrifice bunt to move her to second, and Jill Masterton smacked a double to center field that brought Ellis home.
FDU didn't put a base runner on third until the sixth, as Jessi Potter doubled with two outs, and moved to third on the game's only error by either side. Belowich pitched her way out of it, getting a ground out to Masterton at short to end the inning.
A perfect seventh, including a fine play by Lucas in right, gave the junior her first shutout of the year in Lafayette's final game of the season. Belowich struck out 10 and picked up her fifth win of 2005. Jennifer Buehler gave up six hits and fanned six while throwing a complete game for the Knights.
Lafayette closes the campaign at 11-34, while FDU falls to 10-22 with the setbacks. The Leopards will lose Lucas, Levinson and Jackie Fitzgerald and return eight of nine starters along with their top three pitchers next season.
