March 27, 2009

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EASTON, Pa. - It's hard to have a better day at the ballpark than the Leopards had during their back-to-back wins on Friday against Army in the conference season opener.

Junior Kasey Karr pitched a five-inning no-hitter as the Leopards took the first game 8-0. Not to be out done, junior shortstop Christina Giambrone belted a walk- off, game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the seventh of the second game to lift Lafayette to a 4-2 victory.

Karr's no-hitter is the first for the school since the Patriot League formed in 1991. Of the 18 batters she faced, Karr struck out three and walked one.

"I thought she did a great job in the circle," head coach Jeanine Gunther said. "She had a really good command of all her pitches and not only did she throw well, but I thought our defense played really well to help her out."

Lafayette's offense complemented its pitcher in the first game as the Leopards (6-10, 2-0) rocked Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Jessi Muckelroy for 11 hits. Lafayette senior Robyn Matchett led the attack, going 3-for-4, including a triple, with one run and two RBI.

The Leopards wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard, posting four runs in the first inning. Muckelroy walked two batters with the bases loaded, and Kerry Griffin and Kristin Garganio dropped two fly balls in center field to both pick up an RBI.

Griffin doubled again in the top of the fourth, and Amanda Parker pinch ran for her. Parker scored on a throwing error by Army shortstop Chava Bobb to bulk up the score, 5-0.

Lafayette added three more runs in the fifth. Matchett tripled to left center to send home Garganio and Stacey Dorn. Freshman Gwen Turner plated Matchett with a single to the left side to end the game.

In the second game, Army (9-20, 0-2) struck first when Angela Deger homered in the top of the second. Meanwhile, Lafayette struggled to send runners home, leaving seven stranded throughout the course of the game.

The Leopards finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Giambrone stepped to the plate. She had already belted two long balls to left field, but neither had enough juice to send it over the maroon fence.

This time, the shortstop powered the ball over left center on the first pitch. With her fist clenched in the air, she rounded the bases, giving Lafayette a 4-2 victory.

"She's such a great hitter and she's very hard to defend. She has really learned to hit the outside pitch a lot better," Gunther said. "There was no doubt that I thought that (a grand slam) could have happened."

The Leopards return to action against the Black Knights for another double-header on Saturday beginning at noon.