April 25, 2007
Game 1
Game 2
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Senior second baseman Jill Masterton had three hits and junior first baseman Kristin Ruckno added two, but the Lafayette softball team headed back to College Hill with a pair of non-league losses at Wagner on a drizzly Wednesday afternoon. The Leopards fell 10-2 in the opener and were shutout 6-0 in the second game at Lower Athletic Field.
Masterton had half of the Leopards' (19-19) four hits in the opener, but it was not enough to withstand the busy Seahawk (12-15) bats, which produced 11 hits.
Lafayette opened the scoring with a two-run second inning, starting with a single to center from junior third baseman Sarah Price. Senior pitcher Megan Averbuch drew a walk one batter later, while freshman catcher Allison LoBello reached on a fielding error charged to Wagner's third baseman. With the bags loaded, Wagner pitcher Morgan Miller surrendered her second walk of the inning to senior leftfielder Michelle Ellis, which in turn scored Price.
Masterton made it 2-0 in favor of Lafayette with a single through the left side that plated Averbuch. Miller proceeded to get out of a bases-loaded jam with a fielder's choice, a tough play at the plate and a line-out short.
Averbuch gave up one hit in the bottom half, but struck out three other Wagner batters to keep Lafayette on top 2-0. Miller went on to retire Lafayette in order in the third, while her teammates put together a big five-run bottom half. Lafayette mustered just one more hit in the game, which came in the sixth, but by then it was too little too late after the Seahawks added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth.
The momentum continued to remain on Wagner's side throughout the nightcap, as the Seahawks cruised to a 6-0 win. It was the first time in 15 games that the Leopards were shutout. After Wagner registered a single run in the first, the teams battled through three scoreless frames before the Seahawks struck again with three runs in the fourth.
Both of Ruckno's hits came in the second game, as she singled in the first and doubled in the third to lead Lafayette at the plate. Masterton, LoBello, Robyn Matchett and Christina Giambrone also put the ball in play in the second game. Freshman pitcher Kasey Karr was charged for the loss in game two.
Lafayette will use this mid-week test to prepare for a four-game Patriot League set against Army this weekend. The team hosts the Black Knights in Easton, Pa. for a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Both days will begin at noon.
