April 19, 2005

Box Score

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - Junior 3B Chrystine McHugh delivered a one-out single to left field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Marist softball team a 2-1 victory over visiting La Salle in the second game of a doubleheader today at Gartland Field. Earlier, the Red Foxes (16-16) pounded out 10 runs on 12 hits to win the opener 10-2. Freshman Megan Rigos earned both wins to improve to 13-10 on the season.

After a scoreless first inning, Marist took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of Game 1 on McHugh's two-run single with two outs that scored 1B Annie Castellano and 2B Laurissa Riley. The Red Foxes would score the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth on DP Bridget Hurlman's RBI fielder's choice and tack on three more insurance runs in the inning. Catcher Jasmery Polanco hit an RBI sacrifice fly to plate shortstop Katie Eskin while La Salle RF Megan Berry misplayed a ball hit by CF Allison Bartley into a two-run error, bringing home Castellano and pinch runner Whitney Vecchione.

The Explorers attempted a rally in the next inning, getting on the scoreboard courtesy of 3B Sarah Punderson's two-run single, but Rigos would get a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat.

The Red Foxes added four more runs in the sixth to end the game by way of the eight-run rule, including the first RBI of the season for pinch hitter Lindsey Wilson.

Rigos tossed her 17th complete game of the season, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while fanning six. Laura DeZolt took the loss for La Salle, giving up 10 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits and four walks. She struck out nine. McHugh went three for four with a run and two RBI as her hit streak reached 24 games.

Marist took a quick 1-0 lead in the nightcap as McHugh singled to lead off the game, extending her consecutive-game hitting streak to 25 games, and came around to score on Eskin's RBI sacrifice fly.

Game 2 starter Kristen Merlino, a freshman, would hold the Explorers (7-26-1) scoreless on two hits for 4 2/3 innings before Punderson delivered a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth to tie the game. La Salle starter Kassandra Keating was equally strong, blanking the Red Foxes on two hits from the second through the sixth innings.

It appeared La Salle would break through in the top of the sixth, placing runners on first and second with nobody out as Marist head coach Melissa Tucci brought Rigos in from the bullpen. After allowing a single to her first batter to load the bases, the Pittsburgh native proceeded to strike out the side to keep the game knotted 1-1. In the seventh, she received some timely defensive help as Bartley made a sliding catch of DP Carissa Segura's fly ball with runners on first and second to end the inning.

Castellano led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, at which point La Salle coach Joe DiPietro replaced Keating on the mound with Segura and sophomore Lyndsay Ward pinch ran for Castellano. Bartley bunted Ward to second and freshman RF Pamela de la Llave reached on an error by shortstop Vinnie Caputo. Riley was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for McHugh, who delivered a sharp single past the diving Caputo to score Ward with the game-winning run.

Rigos (14-10, 2.81 ERA) pitched two and two-thirds shutout innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts to earn the win. Keating (1-6) was charged with the loss. Hurlman had two hits for Marist.

Marist travels to non-conference foe Stony Brook for a doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.