BOX SCORE
Wilkes-Barre, PA (May 6, 2011) – The first four hitters for the DeSales University softball team combined to go 9-for-16, knocking in all seven runs and scoring five times leading the top seeded Bulldogs past Manhattanville College, 7-1, in the opening game of the 2011 Freedom Conference Playoffs played at Betzler Athletic Complex at King's College on Friday morning.
DSU was off and running early, scoring twice in each of the first three innings to take a 6-1 lead and never looked back. After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning senior
Kate Steiner got things started with a triple to right-field, her seventh of the season. Senior
Kristin Schultz hit a line drive single to left, scoring Steiner and senior
Jen Lococo and junior
Christine Petrilla each doubled scoring Schultz.
In the second inning a lead-off walk by junior
Brianna Chilcoat was followed by a Valiant error putting Chilcoat and Steiner on first and third with no one out. After Steiner stole second, Schultz knocked in Chilcoat on a groundout to second, and Lococo singled home Steiner to make it 4-1.
In the third, junior
Shelly McCarthy singled and advanced to third when the ball got by the left-fielder, Chilcoat walked and stole second, and Schutlz came thru with a two-out single plating Chilcoat and Steiner to make it 6-1.
The Bulldogs added its seventh and final run of the game in the fifth when Lococo doubled home Steiner after Steiner singled and stole her third base of the game.
Lococo did all the work in the circle, tossing her 11th complete-game of the season and earning her 10th win allowing just four hits and one run, striking out four without issuing a walk.
Steiner was 2-for-4 with four runs scored, Schultz had two hits and knocked in four runs, Lococo had three hits, including two doubles, and Petrilla added two hits and an RBI. Chilcoat walked twice and scored twice out of the nine-hole spot in the order.
The Bulldogs advance to the 3:00 pm game on Friday afternoon, awaiting the winner of the other first round game between second seeded FDU-Florham and third seeded King's College.
