Offense Abounds as Devils Split with Chargers

Twenty-three hits and nineteen runs. These were the numbers put up by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team Saturday afternoon as they continue in their quest for a playoff berth, splitting their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader with Dominican College in Orangeburg, New York.

The Devils took the first game, 14-11 in eight innings. Dominican, however, rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the second game 6-5. With the split the Devils are now 12-20 overall and 9-9 in league play. Dominican is 15-15 overall and 7-7 in league play.

Sarina Lavooy's (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) double with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning was the difference in the opener. Lavooy finished the game with three hits and three walks while scoring three times and driving in three runs. Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) also had three hits apiece as part of the 15-hit USP attack. Snavely drove in four runs while Abbate, Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) added two RBI apiece. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) got the win, giving up 11 runs (seven earned) and 12 hits while striking out eight and walking six.

Dominican got home runs from Jamie Ollari, Jackie Terpstra and Christine Stathes as part of a 12-hit attack. Ollari finished the game with four RBI. Stathes took the loss in relief for the Chargers, pitching the final three innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits while walking three.

Snavely's sacrifice fly in the first inning gave the Devils a 1-0 lead but the Chargers came back with two runs in the bottom of the first, another in the second and two more in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Terpstra and Stathes hit back-to-back homers in the third to account for the Chargers two runs in the inning.

The Devils offense came to life in the fifth inning as they sent 10 batters to the plate to score five runs and take a 6-5 lead. The Devils had only two hits in the inning but took advantage of five walks and a hit batter issued by the Dominican pitchers. Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) had one of those two hits, leading off the inning with a single to left field. Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) came in to run for Brown and promptly stole second. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) walked and Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert's HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Devils then pulled off a rare triple steal with Trupp scoring and Crotti and Bossert advancing into scoring position. A walk to Lavooy loaded the bases again. Walks to Abbate and Trimble brought home two more runs to make the score 5-4. Snavely then singled in another run to tie the game at 5-5 and the Devils again had the bases loaded with nobody out. Ebersole walked to bring in the go-ahead run before the Chargers completed two force plays at home and picked off a USP runner to get out of the inning.

Dominican tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth as Flint issued three consecutive walks to produce a run. USP made it 10-6 with four more runs in the sixth inning. USP opened the inning with consecutive singles by Crotti, Bossert, Lavooy and Abbate produced the seventh USP run. After Trimble reached on a fielder's choice, Snavely singled to drive home Abbate and Lavooy. Ebersole then reached on a fielder's choice to score Trimble and make the score 10-6.

Ollari hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Chargers within one 10-9 before the Devils went backup by two on a bases-loaded walk to Trimble. Two errors in the bottom of the seventh allowed the Chargers to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Kristina Kelly (Sr., G.A.M.P./ Philadelphia, Pa. ) walked to lead off the eighth and Crotti reached on a fielder's choice. Bossert had an infield single to load the bases for Lavooy, who doubled to left field, clearing the bases and giving the Devils a 14-11 lead. Flint got the first two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning before allowing a single by Danielle Garrison. Flint then struck out Melanie Hesterman to end the game and give USP the win.

Dominican trailed 5-2 in the nightcap before rallying to score four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pullout the victory 6-5. Lauren Galladay hit a home run for the Chargers as Laurie Edwards picked up the win in relief.

After getting three hits in the opener, Abbate hit the first home run of her college career in the nightcap, a three-run blast over the centerfield fence in the second inning. Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had two hits for the Devils as part of an eight hit attack. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and striking out four.

Abbate's blast was part of a four run second inning that saw the Devils bat around. Samantha Lavooy singled to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. A walk to Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) and a single by Sarina Lavooy brought up Abbate who cleared the bases with her blast to center field, giving the Devils a 4-0 lead.

Galladay led off the fourth inning with a home run to pull the Chargers within three, 4-1. USP got the run back in the fifth on an RBI single by Bossert. The Chargers made the score 5-2 as Galladay drew a bases loaded walk.

The score remained 5-2 until the seventh . Two singles and an error loaded the bases for Ollari who singled to drive in the third run. Another walk to Galladay made the score 5-4 and a walk to Michelle Krupna tied the game at 5-5. After getting the first out on an infield pop out, Stathes then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Ollari with the winning run.

The Devils return home for their final three doubleheaders of the regular season next week, taking on Philadelphia University on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, Chestnut Hill College on Thursday, April 26th and Bloomfield College on Saturday, April 28th. The two weekday doubleheaders will start at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday's contest will start at noon.