Temple University Athletics
Owls Double-Up Delaware State, 8-4
3.21.07 | Softball
March 21, 2007
DOVER, DE - The Temple softball team (4-10), under the direction of second-year head coach Casey Dickson, captured their fourth win in six outings after dropping Delaware State 8-4 in game one of a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.
True freshman hurler Ashley Smuda (3-5) went the distance for the Cherry and White en route to collecting her first career complete game. Smuda surrendered two first inning runs, but settled down to strike out a career-best six while walking just one.
Freshman pitcher Brittney Ruark (0-6) lasted three innings for Delaware State (2-15) while allowing seven hits and seven runs, but just three earned.
The Cherry and White struck early in the top half of the first after junior Brittany Burks led off the inning with an infield single. Four batters later, following a sacrifice bunt from senior Jessica Rohn and a free pass to senior Adrienne Repsher, Burks scored after sophomore Katie Burdeaux reached on a Hornets' error.
The Hornets responded in the bottom half of the frame with two runs off Smuda that included two hits. After sophomore Megan Lambertz led off the inning with a triple, freshman Jacinda Poni sent a two-out delivery from Smuda into right field for a one-run Delaware State cushion.
The Owls evened the scoring in the following inning after true freshman Krystle Metzler lifted a solo homerun over the left-centerfield fence.
Leading off the frame, Metzler took a pitch middle-in and deposited her second homerun of the season.
Temple regained the lead in the top half of the third after a two-out rally sparked by Repsher and sophomore Courtney Norene supplied the visitors with a 5-2 advantage. After a Burdeaux infield single scored Repsher, Metzler's single back through the box plated two runs when Delaware State centerfielder Ashley Fisher couldn't handle the worm-burner.
The Cherry and White posted three more runs in the top half of the fourth on two hits. Norene's single through the left side and into the outfield scored Rohn for the Owls' eighth and final tally.
The Hornets retaliated with a run in the bottom of the fourth before mounting some pressure on Smuda in the seventh with a one-out run-scoring double from freshman Sha Tabor. However, the Scottsdale, Ariz. native beared down with inducing a groundball and striking out Poni to end the game.
Metzler led all Owls with three hits and Norene collected two while the Cherry and White plated eight different scorers on the afternoon. Temple will look to sweep the twin-bill with the Hornets at approximately 4:45 p.m.
