March 24, 2007
Lafayette 3, Villanova 2
Lafayette 6, Monmouth 3
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (www.lafayette.edu) - Senior second baseman Jill Masterton hit a home run in both games to help Lafayette edge Villanova 3-2 and down Monmouth 6-3 in softball action on Saturday at Rider.
Masterton, a returning first team All-Patriot League selection, hit her first homer of the day (and first of the season) to lead off the third inning and give the Leopards a 2-0 lead. Her two-run shot in the fifth inning against Monmouth broke a 2-2 tie and helped Lafayette improve to 8-6 this spring.
The Leopards got on the board first against Villanova, as freshman Allison LoBello grounded into a fielders choice to score junior Sarah Price. Freshman Aimee Dassner drove a double earlier in the inning to move Price to third.
Freshman Kasey Karr kept the third inning going after Masterton's home run as she reached on an infield single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by junior Kristen Ruckno. Freshman Christina Giambrone knocked in Karr with a single to give Lafayette a 3-0 lead.
The Wildcats came back with two runs in the fourth on a home run by Jess O'Boyle, and threatened again in the fifth. With two on and two out, Dassner relieved Karr in the circle and induced an inning-ending groundout. Villanova advanced a runner to third with two out in the sixth before a lineout to center ending the inning, and Dassner set down the side in order in the seventh to secure her first collegiate save.
Clutch pitching with runners in scoring position continued to be a key theme in the nightcap against Monmouth. The Hawks scored single runs in the first and third innings to go ahead 2-0, and the deficit could have been larger, but senior pitcher Megan Averbuch got out of the inning with a runner on third on both occasions.
LoBello hit a two-run double to tie the game at 2-2 in the fourth, scoring Ruckno, who doubled, and Giambrone who reached on a fielders choice.
Masterton followed Matchett's bunt single to lead off the fifth with her second home run of the day to give Lafayette a 4-2 advantage. Giambrone and Ruckno traded places with consecutive doubles, and Emma Kline later drew a walk to score the fourth run of the inning following a walk and a single that loaded the bases.
Monmouth managed at least one hit in each of the final four innings but didn't break through until there were two outs in the seventh to make the final score 6-3.
Karr and Averbuch both earned their third victories of the season for the Leopards, while Averbuch added her fifth complete game in her first seven starts.
Masterton had a two-hit game in both ends of the doubleheader and finished the day 4-for-7 with three runs batted in. Ruckno was 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI against Monmouth.
Lafayette will play host Rider tomorrow at 10 a.m., then finish the weekend against Monmouth at 2:30 p.m. The Leopards will have the week off before opening Patriot League action at Bucknell next weekend.
