Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE SWEEPS SAINT JOSEPH'S TO CLAIM FIRST OUTRIGHT A-10 SOFTBALL TITLE
5.15.04 | Softball
Villescas, who picked up her 16th and 17th wins of the season to tie for second on the Temple single season win list, had to pitch out of trouble in the fifth and seventh innings. With two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning, she struck out pinch hitter Lauren Pachioli. In the seventh, SJU's Alicia Cunic singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a ground out. Robin Berry then singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Villescas settled down and got the next two Hawk batters to ground out, ending the game.
"We did not think going into tourney that anyone would go 3-0," stated Temple head coach Rocci Pignoli, the 2004 A-10 Coach of the Year. "We prepared ourselves for that and so no matter what happened we would come back and get it done. And that is exactly what we did today."
After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, Temple got a lone run in the second on an RBI single off the bat of senior Katie Weigle. It was one of five hits for Weigle on the day and it brought home Laura Gutsher, who singled to start the inning.
The run was the first allowed by senior pitcher Dana Travis in the tournament and ended her streak of 40 consecutive scoreless innings.
That was all the Owls needed as Temple posted its 14th win over Saint Joseph's in the last 15 meetings.
In the first game, Lauren Evans came off the bench with a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive home Gutscher with the game-winning run. Gutscher had led off the frame with a bloop double to center.
Temple scored first as freshman Adrienne Repsher singled to right, scoring Weigle. Weigle, who went 3-for-3 at the plate in the game, had singled to center with one out, and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Jessica Rohn.
Saint Joseph's tied the game in the fourth on doubles by Cara Deldeo and Alicia Cunic. They were the Hawks first hits off A-10 Pitcher of the Year Kim Watkins. The Owl hurler allowed just one more hit in her six innings of work. Villescas picked up the win, retiring all three batters she faced in the seventh to up her record.
Joining Villescas on the A-10 All-Tournament team were teammates Watkins, Weigle and junior shortstop Aida Esquer. Saint Joseph's was represented by Cunic, Travis and Lauren Hughes, the losing pitcher in game one.
The Owls will find out what regional site they will be sent to when the 2004 NCAA Softball Field is announced Sunday night between 8:00-9:00 p.m. on ESPNews. The eight regional sites, with host institutions are as follows: Tucson, Arizona (University of Arizona); Waco, Texas (Baylor University); Los Angeles (University of California, Los Angeles); Tallahassee, Florida (Florida State University); Athens, Georgia (University of Georgia); Ann Arbor, Michigan (University of Michigan); Lincoln, Nebraska (University of Nebraska, Lincoln); and Stanford, California (Stanford University).
