BOX SCORE (Game 1)
BOX SCORE (Game 2)
Center Valley, PA (April 29, 2010) – After the DeSales University softball team coughed up a 7-1 lead in game one to lose 8-7, junior Jen Lococo (Easton, PA/Freedom) came up big in the circle in game two, tossing a four-hit shutout, helping the Bulldogs earn a doubleheader split with Alvernia University via 4-0 game two win in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon.
In the first game on Thursday, the Bulldogs (21-17 overall) had complete control of the contest over the first two innings with three runs in the first inning and four more in the second inning to take a commanding 7-1 lead. The first four hitters for DeSales combined to go 5-for-6 with a walk, six runs scored, and four RBIs helping DSU claim the six-run lead.
Then the wheels fell off in the third inning as the Crusaders (20-14 overall) scored six times in the third inning on five hits and two walks to tie the game at seven. The Bulldogs who had five hits over the first two innings managed just four more hits the rest of the game and were never able to cross home plate the rest of the way. Alvernia broke the tie in the top of the sixth inning when Chelsea Miller scampered home after singling, moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on errant throw from senior Kyra Monarek (Allentown, PA/Parkland) on a ground ball to second base.
DSU escaped further damage in the inning as junior Kristin Schultz (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) picked off a runner at third and threw another runner out at third trying to steal, but the Bulldog bats stayed silent, managing just two base-runners over the final three innings.
Sophomore Christine Petrilla (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) was the hard-luck loser allowing just one earned run over 4.2 innings pitched in relief. Petrilla was 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, increasing her single-season record total to 18 on the year, and added two RBIs. Lococo was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, junior Kate Steiner (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) had two hits and two runs scored and senior Kerri Andrews (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) scored twice out of the lead-off spot.
The second game was all Lococo in the circle as she carried a perfect game thru 3.2 innings and allowed just four hits, all singles, and one walk to go along with three strikeouts. She wins her ninth game of the season and lowers her season ERA to 3.39 on the year. Steiner staked DSU to a 2-0 lead with an RBI triple in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs added an unearned run in the fifth and made it 4-0 in the sixth when Schultz scored on a single from sophomore Brianna Chilcoat (Northampton, PA/Northampton).
DSU wraps-up its regular season on Saturday when they travel to FDU-Florham for the final Freedom Conference doubleheader of the year needing at least one win to clinch the #1 seed in the Freedom Conference playoffs being held at Delaware Valley College next Friday and Saturday.
