Temple University Athletics
Softball Sweeps Iona, 2-0 and 12-4
4.28.09 | Softball
April 28, 2009
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - With the way the Temple softball team has been playing over the past month, it's been pick your poison for the opponents.
In a non-conference doubleheader against Iona, the Owls used a stellar pitching performance to earn a 2-0 victory in the first game, while it was a dominant offensive performance, lead by senior Courtney Norene's five RBI, that propelled the Owls to a 12-4 victory in the second game.
The Owls have now won 10 of their last 11 games.
In the first game, the Owls managed just one hit - a Katie Burdeaux RBI single in the first inning - but that was all that the Owls needed thanks to the pitching performances of freshman Lauren Spoo and Burdeaux.
Spoo (1-7) picked up her first collegiate victory, tossing five innings and striking and three batters. Burdeaux picked up her second consecutive save (2), pitching the final two innings while striking out the two.
The Owls scored an insurance run in the top of seventh when freshman Samantha Schoell scored on an error by the Iona centerfielder.
In the second game, Norene had a career day, knocking in five runs while blasting the 26th home run of her career, as the Owls used an eight-run third inning to top the Gaels 12-4.
Sophomore Amanda Branco (1-0) picked up her first victory of the season, tossing 3.1 innings while striking out three in relief. Freshman Sarah Reynolds tossed 3.2 innings, striking out two.
The difference in the game was the big third inning. With the Owls ahead 2-1, Norene blasted a two-home run as the second batter of the inning to extend the lead to 4-1.
The lead avalanched from there. Three batters later, Burdeaux scored following an Iona error on a Chante' Pleydle hit to bring the lead to 5-1.
Bases loaded RBI singles from junior Michele Lerner and senior Amanda Carver followed, bringing the lead to 7-1 with still with only one out. A bases-loaded walk and yet another Iona error followed, and the lead ballooned to 10-1 at the end of the inning.
The Cherry and White added two more runs in the top of seventh inning following an RBI on freshman Christina Sykora's second double of the game and an RBI single by Norene - her fifth and final RBI of the game.
Freshman Christine Schlichter, Schoell and Burdeaux all added hits in the second game.
The Owls will conclude their non-conference schedule when they travel to Big Five rival Villanova on Thursday for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
