April 14, 2008
Box Score -- Game 1 | Box Score -- Game 2
WORCESTER, Mass. - The Leopards softball team completed the four-game sweep at Holy Cross this afternoon with a 4-3 win in the first game and a 7-2 victory in the second. Sophomore Kasey Karr threw her 15th complete game of the season and second of the series in the finale.
Entering the sixth inning, the Leopards (17-15, 8-4) were down two runs after Holy Cross scored a run in the second and another in the fourth for a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Christina Giambrone tripled to start the sixth inning for Lafayette. Freshman Stacey Kushner followed with a single. Kushner was 2-for-4 with one RBI in the first game.
With runners on first and third, Karr blasted her seventh home run of the season out of Freshman Field. The three-run shot claimed a 3-2 advantage for the Leopards
With no outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Crusader's Jayme Elliot hit an RBI single to tie the game (3-3). Holy Cross (3-22, 1-7) left three runners on base after scoring the tying run.
Reigning Patriot League Player of the Week, senior Kristen Ruckno drove in the game-winning run with a single. Giambrone scored for the 4-3 Lafayette victory in the first game.
Freshmen Ali Henry and Christine Hilcken (3-4) shared the Leopards' responsibilities in the circle. Hilcken collected the win coming relief of Henry in the fifth inning. Hilcken allowed three hits and one earned run in three innings. Cruz (0-8), who pitched the final 1.2 innings after Caitlin Belanger started the game, allowed Lafayette's winning run.
Lead-off batter, Giambrone hit a home run to start the second game with a 1-0 Lafayette lead.
All was silent from both sides until senior Sarah Price hit an RBI single in the sixth inning. Giambrone was responsible for another Leopard run driving Price home. Kushner's sacrifice fly brought sophomore Aimee Dassner in for the 3-0 advantage. Karr reached first a Cruasder fielding error and Giambrone and junior Emma Kline scored on the play.
Lafayette led 6-0 after scoring five runs off three hits in the sixth inning. Giambrone was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Price was 3-for-4 with two RBI in the second half of the twinbill.
Kelly O'Neil with an RBI double put Holy Cross on the board (6-1) in the bottom of the sixth.
Price took hold of a six-run lead (7-1) with a RBI double in the Leopards final at bat. The Crusaders had a RBI double of their own in the bottom of the seventh as Lafayette took the 7-2 victory in the series finale.
Karr, the current conference Pitcher of the Week, improved to 8-5 this season and 4-1 against Patriot League opponents. She threw the complete game and allowed six hits facing 28 batters. Cruz (0-9) started the game for Holy Cross, but left after allowing the first run. Katie Alexander and Amanda Audette split the remainder of the time, pitching two and four innings, respectively.
The Leopards look to extend their current streak of seven wins when the team travels to face Delaware State on Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader.
