AMBLER, PA -- Temple softball, unbeaten in its last seven games, swept crosstown and Atlantic 10 rival La Salle in both games of its doubleheader, 4-1 and 5-4. The wins boost the Owls to 20-21 for the season and 12-4 in the Atlantic 10. The Cherry and White are one step closer to competing in the Atlantic 10 tournament to be held at Ambler Field May 11-13.
La Salle opened the day's scoring in the first inning when Laura DeZolt homered over the centerfield fence. The Owls were not able to answer until the fifth inning. Freshman catcher Courtney Norene singled through the left side. Senior Lauren Evans, who was playing in her final regular season games as an Owl, reached on a fielder's choice with Norene out at second. A double from sophomore Brittany Burks put runners at second and third. Junior Jessica Rohn singled home Evans, tying the game at 1-1. Rohn, however, was caught rounding first on a great throw by LSU rightfielder Christine Catanzaro. Freshman pitcher Ashleigh Porter, who came into the game in relief of starter Katie Burdeaux in the third inning, singled sending Burks home to put the Owls ahead for good, 2-1. Senior Makeala Compton added an insurance run with an RBI double that scored Porter.
The Cherry and White scored their final run in the sixth. Junior Adrienne Repsher singled to left center. Sophomore Amanda Carver and Norene both reached on an errors to load the bases. Evans then drove in Repsher with a sacrifice fly. Porter (5-6) earned the win, allowing just two hits while striking out seven over four and one-third scoreless innings.
Temple got on the board first in the second game. After singling to center, Burks stole second. Freshman Nikki Lee singled with Burks going to third. Norene then singled, driving in Burks to put TU ahead 1-0. Compton singled home Lee for the second run of the frame. The Owls added another run in the second with Carver singling, advancing to third on two wild pitches and then scoring on a sacrifice by Burks.
La Salle experienced a surge of energy in the fourth, scoring all four of its runs in the inning, three of them coming with two outs. Carissa Segura was the first Explorer to find the plate. After reaching first off of an error by Lee, she advanced to second off a single by Jen Street. Teddi Hernandez then doubled her home. An error by Danielle Fagan put Danielle Signorelli on first and sent Street home. DeZolt then singled to center, scoring Hernandez and Signorelli. Segura struck out swinging to end the frame with the Explorers up 4-3.
The Owls tied the game in their half of the fourth. With two outs, Carver doubled to center . Norene then came through with an RBI single.
Fagan, who owns the Temple record for home runs in a single season, led off the sixth inning with her eighth homer of the season, blasting the ball over left field fence. It was her third homer of the week, and proved to be the game winner as Burdeaux, who struck out six in three and one-third hitless innings of relief, retired the Explorers in order in the seventh to improve to 9-7 on the season.
Temple next travels to Villanova for doubleheader action on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 PM.
