April 18, 2007
Photo Gallery
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette sandwiched a mid-week contest with Delaware State between a pair of Patriot League weekend series and came out on the short end of a pair of one-run contests against Delaware State. The Leopards fell 4-3 in the opener and 3-2 in the nightcap. Junior Jill Masterton and freshman Christina Giambrone both went 3-for-6 on the day.
Lafayette plated all three of its runs in the first inning of game one, as Masterton was hit by a pitch and advanced on a bunt single from sophomore right fielder Robyn Matchett. Giambrone then stepped to the plate and offered a singled to right field to bring home Masterton.
Giambrone then put herself in scoring position with her second stolen base of the year. Freshman pitcher Kasey Karr proceeded to help her own case with a two-RBI single to center that scored Giambrone and Matchett. Freshman catcher Alison LoBello ended the first-inning run as she ground into a double play.
After a scoreless second inning for both clubs, the Hornets broke through with a two-run third. Sam Snow's two-out double to center scored Nicole Demers and Megan Lambertz. Karr retired the side to keep Lafayette on top 3-2.
The teams played through three and a half scoreless innings from there before Delaware State started its difference-making seventh. The Hornets got two runs on a Candice Shockley double to left center, again with two outs.
Head coach Jeanine Gunther called on Sara Bussiere to pinch hit in the bottom half, and the sophomore rewarded her with a single to left. Sophomore Emma Kline then re-entered the game on the bags for Bussiere. Masterton matched Bussiere's effort, putting runners on first and second. Kline then put runners on the corners after advancing to third on a passed ball.
With the go-ahead run at the plate in Robyn Matchett, Delaware State's Brittany Ruark offered the pitch. It was a ball, but Snow caught Kline at third after the catcher pulled-off a rare hidden ball scenario to end the inning.
Karr took the loss for the Leopards, striking out 10 in 31 batters faced. Ruark got the win for the Hornets after two innings of relief.
Again the Leopards started strong with a productive, two-run first inning in the nightcap. Gaimbrone sailed a ball over the centerfield fence for her fourth homer of the season, which also scored Matchett who had walked one batter earlier.
Lafayette senior Megan Averbuch retired the Hornets in the second and third innings, despite surrendering two hits. In the top of the fourth, Sha Tabor drew a lead-off walk for the Hornets, while Diana Gomez quickly evened the score with a two-run homer that scored Tabor. Averbuch got Delaware State's top two hitters to pop-up to end the inning.
Raurk came in to relieve Lambertz at the start of the fourth and retired the Lafayette batters in order. The Hornets came out swinging in the fifth, starting with a long double to center from Tabor, who came around to score on a single up the middle from Gomez. Raurk contined to impress and did not allow a Lafayette hit from that point.
Averbuch went the distance for Lafayette and struck out three batters, while Raurk picked up her second win of the day.
Lafayette returns to Patriot League action this weekend. The team heads up to Hamilton, N.Y. to take on Colgate on Saturday and Sunday. Both doubleheaders are slated to start at noon.
