Temple University Athletics
Softball Stunned by Late La Salle Rally in 5-4 Loss
4.18.08 | Softball
April 18, 2008
AMBLER, PA - Only one out away from breaking out of a late-season funk, the Temple softball team (13-18, 3-10) surrendered four runs in the top of the seventh inning to cross-town rival La Salle (15-20, 5-8), as the Explorers erased a 4-1 deficient for the stunning 5-4 victory Friday afternoon from the Ambler Sports Complex.
Junior Katie Burdeaux and senior Anna Rico were the stars at the plate for the Owl offense, which broke out of a four game slump for an 11-hit attack. Burdeaux and Rico each earned three hits apiece. Home-run leader junior Courtney Norene and freshman Sam Dungan both added doubles, freshman Chelsea Reicher had two hits and sophomore Krystle Metzler had a single to pace the offense. Still, the Cherry and White stranded four runners on base and were caught stealing five times, costing them runs that could have won the game.
The Owl offense wasted no time in the first inning, as they blasted Explorer pitching for four hits and two runs. RBI singles by Burdeaux and Reicher made the score 2-0 for the Owls.
The score would remain 2-0 for the next five innings until La Salle's Angelina Bisbiglia knocked in an RBI double to make the score 2-1.
While the Explorers threatened all game long, Burdeuax continually worked her way out of jams and appeared on her way to victory after the bottom of the sixth. It was there that Owls appeared to create some breathing room and seal the victory. Dungan blasted a two-run RBI double, making the score 4-1 and seemingly putting the Owls on the road to victory.
But in the final frame, the Explorer bats finally came to life. The rally was started when La Salle's Laura Beth McCreesh took Burdeaux deep for her fourth home run of the season, cutting the lead to 4-2. After La Salle's Kelli Curcio advanced on a double, she would come home two batters later following an error by junior Chant'e Pleydle, making the score 4-3. The Explorers took the lead for good when two runs came across on Mary Pat Conville's RBI single to make it 5-4. The Explorers took a 5-4 lead that they would hang on to in the final half of the inning.
Burdeaux (6-7) took the loss for the Owls, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out six in six and two-third innings. La Salle's Gina Massaro (4-10) picked up the victory working in relief of Mary Beth McCreesh.
The two teams are back in action tomorrow at noon from Ambler Sports Complex. The game can be viewed via OwlAccess.
