Feb. 26, 2011

Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Lafayette played two more games on Saturday in the Campus Suites Spartan Classic hosted by USC Upstate.

In game one, La Salle used the long ball to deal Lafayette a 5-0 loss. The big blow came in the sixth when Jackie McBride hit a three-run home run to right centerfield to break open a 1-0 game. That shot came after an RBI-single earlier in the inning from Megan Hodgson.

The Explorers drew first blood in the second inning on D.J. Guinn's lead-off homer to left center.

Trailing 1-0, Lafayette had a solid chance to tie the game or take the lead in the fourth inning. Gwen Turner led off with a double and Mary Episcopo put runners on the corners following a single to center. The Leopards took themselves out of the inning, as both runners were cut down on a double steal.

Turner and Episcopo accounted for the only hits of the day against La Salle starter Laura Beth McCreesh (1-0) who struck out three and walked three. Lafayette freshman Lauren Hasson was touched up for five runs in her first collegiate start. She fanned five and walked two while scattering six hits.

In game two, Lafayette (0-3) ran into an undefeated (15-0) USC Upstate Spartan squad that cranked out nine hits while the Leopards managed just one base hit on the afternoon.

USC Upstate scored two in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and four in the sixth. Ashley's Butler's two-run home run in the second inning was all the offense the Spartans needed. Haley Sheehan added a three-run blast in the sixth.

Turner had the Leopards' only hit, breaking up Hannah Alexander's (5-0) no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth. Alexander (5-0) struck out nine and walked one. Freshman Lauren Murphy took the loss, giving up four runs in two innings.

Lafayette closes out the tournament by playing Howard on Sunday at 11 a.m.