Devils Split With Rams; Remain in Playoff Contention

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team missed a golden opportunity to solidify a playoff spot in the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championships, splitting a twinbill with Philadelphia University Tuesday Afternoon at McNeil Field.

The Devils took the first game 8-3 but lost the second 10-1. The Devils' record remains at .500 in conference games with a 10-10 mark. Overall USP is now 13-21. USP is currently tied with Post University for the sixth and final playoff spot with two conference games remaining. Post has four CACC games left and holds the tiebreaker over the Devils by virtue of their doubleheader sweep earlier this year. The Rams fall to 10-24 overall and 6-12 in league play.

Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had three hits in the doubleheader to move into second place on the Devils' all-time hit list behind her sister Sarina. Samantha now has 126 career hits while Sarina, who also had three hits in the two games, tops the list with 161.

The Devils banged out a total of 13 hits in the opener as they scored five times in the first two innings en route to an 8-3 win. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) had three hits while Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.), Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) and both Lavooy sisters had two hits apiece. Crotti and Samantha Lavooy also drove in two runs apiece. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) evened her record at 7-7 with the win, allowing just three runs on six hits while striking out five.

Maggie Desmond hit a two-run home run for the Rams. Kristin Giamatteo and Kelly Rauco had two hits apiece. Stacy Bahr took the loss.

After giving up the two-run home run to Desmond in the first inning, the Devils bounced right back with three runs in the bottom of the first to retake the lead 3-2. Sarina Lavooy walked to start the inning and was sacrificed over to second by Tu. A steal of third moved Lavooy closer to scoring. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) walked to put runners on the corners before the Devils strung together consecutive singles by Crotti, Samantha Lavooy and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) to put three runs onto the board.

USP added two more runs in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Sarina Lavooy tripled home Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) with the first run and Tu immediately followed with a double to score Lavooy with the second run of the inning.

Flint gave up just two hits over the next four innings as the Devils continued to lead 5-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Tu and Trimble led off the inning with singles and Snavely hit into a fielder's choice to replace Tu on the base paths. Crotti and Samantha Lavooy followed with singles to score Trimble and Snavely. Lavooy later scored on Brown's two out single to complete the scoring for USP.

The Rams got two singles and walk to load the bases in the seventh before Lindsey Field hit into a fielder's choice to score Lindsay White. Flint then retired the next two batters to end the game.

In the nightcap, the Rams recorded 11 hits and scored twice in the second, five times in the third and three more in the fourth to hand the Devils their worst defeat of the season, 10-1 in five innings. Jacque Curtis drove in six of Philadelphia's runs with a two-run home run a single and a double. Desmond added three RBI to her game one total with a two-run triple and an RBI single.

USP got their lone run in the first inning as Trimble delivered a two-out single and Snavely walked. Samantha Lavooy then lofted a high fly to the outfield which popped out of the left fielder's for a two-base error, scoring Trimble and giving the Devils a short-lived 1-0 lead as the Rams struck for two on Curtis' home run in their next at-bat and the floodgates opened in the next two innings with eight more runs to make the final score 10-1.

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