March 17, 2009
Columbia Box Score
Wagner Box Score
OSCEOLA, Fla. - Despite some heavy hitting from shortstop Christina Giambrone, the Lafayette softball team couldn't pull out wins against Columbia and Wagner in back-to-back matchups at the Rebel Spring Games on Tuesday. The Leopards fell to the Lions, 9-3, and the Seahawks rallied late for a 10-6 win in the following game.
Giambrone hit two homers, going 3-for-7 for the day while driving in four RBIs. Sophomore Kerry Griffin, who batted .450 during the course of last year's Rebel Spring Games, found some of that magic at the plate again, hitting 3-for-4 against Wagner (3-10).
In game one against Columbia (4-8), Giambrone belted her first homer over the center field wall in the top of the second in the lead-off spot. But the home run did little to faze the Lions, who took an 8-1 lead by the top of the fourth thanks in part to their five runs in the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Kristin Garganio doubled to left field, sending home Giambrone. The Leopards would score once more in the top of the seventh, but the six errors Lafayette committed during the course of the game proved too costly.
Lafayette (1-9) was forced to rebound quickly because a game against Wagner immediately followed at 11 a.m. The Leopards looked like they had snapped out of their funk as they took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Robyn Matchett started things off with a single and she advanced to second once Stacey Kushner singled to right field. Giambrone rocked the Seahawks with her second homer of the day to bring in three runs. Freshman Carly Feiro's bunt was enough to bring in her first career RBI and gave Lafayette a 4-0 advantage.
Feiro recorded another RBI in the bottom of the fifth when her sacrifice fly allowed Amanda Parker to cross the plate.
Facing a 5-1 deficit in the top of the sixth, Wagner gained momentum when Andrea Lazzari homered in the lead-off spot. The Seahawks drove in six runs off six hits during the inning to take a 7-5 lead.
Lafayette kept it close as Matchett reached first base on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She was eventually sent home by Kushner, but that's as close as the Leopards would come to regaining a lead. Wagner finished the seventh inning strong with three runs to steal a 10-6 victory.
Lafayette will enjoy a full day's rest before meeting Iona at 11 a.m. and Wisconsin-Green Bay at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
