Box Score Game 1 |
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| Box Score Game 2 | Photo Gallery
April 12, 2017
EASTON Pa. -- Two solid relief pitching outings for Kristyn Marinelli couldn't push Lafayette past Villanova in a mid-week doubleheader at Metzgar Fields. The Wildcats won by scores of 4-0 and 6-2.
Marinelli surrendered just one run on eight hits in 9.2 innings of relief work for the Leopards.
Villanova (21-13) never trailed in the opening game as Lauren Herschberg hit the second Stacy Gordon offering over the centerfield fence.
The Wildcats added three more in the third inning. Nikki Alden hit a one-out solo home run and Chase Snell's double plated two more. That hit prompted Lafayette head coach Jexx Varner to make the move to the bullpen for Marinelli.
She threw the final 4.1 innings and did not allow a run while scattering two hits. The Villanova pitching staff was also up to the task as starter Brette Lawrence (13-7) threw five innings of two-hit softball and struck out four in the process. Kalee Smith tossed the final two frames, giving up a pair of hits. Gordon was tagged with the loss (2-7), allowing four runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings.
In the second game, Villanova scored five runs in the first two innings and pulled away to a 6-2 final.
Dana Morris (single) and Natalia Segovia (2 RBI-double) each knocked in runs in the first inning off freshman starter Alexis Randall. Morris plated two more in the second inning on a two-out single. Marinelli struck out Segovia to end that inning, trailing 5-0.
The Leopards got things going offensively in the third inning. Samantha Sweigart (single) and Stephanie Thomas (double) found themselves in scoring position with one out in the inning. No. 3 hitter Maddie Wensel drove home Sweigart with a sac fly. Miranda Skurla kept the inning going with an RBI-single to right field as Lafayette pulled within 5-2.
Villanova threatened to extend its lead in the seventh, starting the inning with a pair of singles. Marinelli buckled down, getting a flyout and two popouts to end the inning with no runs scored.
Lafayette made it interesting in the home half of the seventh, sending the tying batter to the plate. Randall's second hit of the game started things and a fielding error put two runners on with no outs.
Reliever Gabby Wenn enticed Lafayette into two flyball outs before hitting Wensel to load the bases. Villanova brought Lawrence back to face Skurla who represented the tying run. She struck her out to end the game.
Lafayette (4-18) continues Patriot League play this weekend with a three-game series at Colgate. All three of those games can be seen on the Patriot League Network.
