University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
   Women's Softball 

Stories & Highlights
2006-07 season

Tu Named to CACC Softball Honor Roll (5/1/07)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball player Samantha Tu was named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women’s Softball Weekly Honor Roll for her performance during the week ending April 29, 2007.

Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) batted .615 with eight hits in 13 at-bats while playing in four of the Devils five games this week. Samantha extended her hitting streak to five games while driving in four runs with three extra base hits.

Opening the week against Philadelphia University, the freshman second baseman recorded two hits in three at-bats, driving in a run with a double in the second inning as the Devils went on to win, 8-3.

Two days later, Tu, who started the game as the designated player and later moved to third base, had the first three hit-game of her career as the Devils defeated Chestnut Hill College 10-4. Samantha had three singles, drove in a run and scored once.

Samantha closed out the season with three hits in six at-bats in the two games against Bloomfield on Saturday. Her two hits in the first game were doubles while her single in the nightcap brought home two runs.

Tu is an occupational therapy major at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The freshman infielder has completed her first season of play for the Devils. Tu started 15 games for USP and finished the season batting .265 with three doubles and seven runs batted in.

Bloomfield Ends Devils Season with Doubleheader Sweep (4/28/07)

Bloomfield College banged out 29 hits in the two games against the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team Saturday afternoon as they clinched a playoff spot by defeating the Devils 12-4 and 9-4 at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The two losses end the 2007 season for the Devils with a 14-23 overall record and a 10-12 record in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) games, narrowly missing one of the six playoff spots. USP’s 14 wins are the most since the 2000 season. USP’s 14-23 record is also an 11.5 game improvement over their 2006 squad that went 4-37. Bloomfield improves to 20-16 overall and finishes the regular season with a 14-8 CACC record.

Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had three hits in the second game and another in the first to finish the afternoon with four hits in eight at-bats. The senior centerfielder closes out her career with a nine-game hitting streak and finishes as the Devils all-time leader in games played (146), at-bats (473), hits (165), run scored (100) and stolen bases (47). Lavooy finished the season batting .387, second best on the team. Sarina finishes her career with a .349 career batting average.

Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) had hits in each of the two games to finish the season with a four game hitting streak. Trimble led the Devils in batting (.433), home runs (3) and RBI (26). The senior rightfielder is the Devils all-time leader in home runs (21) and RBI (88) and closes out her career with a .416 career batting average.

Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.), despite not recording a hit on the afternoon, finishes her career with 127 hits, second behind her sister Sarina. The senior outfielder/designated hitter is also second on the Devils all-time list in games played (145) and at-bats (421) and closed out her career with a .302 batting average.

Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) started and took the loss in first game, giving up 12 runs on 14 hits while striking out two and walking six. With the loss, Flint finished the season with a 7-8 record, the most wins on the team and a 4.56 earned run average (second on the team). With her two strikeouts, the senior pitcher finishes her career as the Devils all-time strikeout leader with 256. Flint also finished her career with 16 wins and a 3.96 earned run average.

Also closing out their careers for the Devils were Ashley Schappell (Sr., Parkland HS/ Schnecksville, Pa.), Kristina Kelly (Sr., G.A.M.P./ Philadelphia, Pa.) and Michelle Stringer (Sr., Cumberland Valley HS (Pa.)/Cape Carteret, N.C.). Schappell this season played in 18 games at both first base and pitcher. Ashley finished her career with 54 hits in 112 games played. Kelly appeared in 16 games this season. The senior shortstop closed out her career with 103 games played and had a career high 12 hits in 2006. Stringer, a catcher, appeared in just 10 games this season. Stringer enjoyed her best season as a freshman, getting 27 hits (.346 average) and driving in 15 runs along with the only two home runs of her career. In her four years on the Devils squad, Stringer appeared in 102 games and had 64 hits.

Back to the games, Bloomfield pounded seven home runs in the doubleheader with Vicki Berardi and Mallory Mathews recording three dingers apiece. Berardi drove in seven runs on the afternoon (four in the first game) with six hits in nine at-bats, while Mathews drove in four (two each game), hitting 5-for-7. Amanda Byrnes also homered in the first game for the Deacons.

Byrnes led off the first game with a home run to left field that cleared the secondary fence some 15 feet beyond the McNeil field fence. An infield error led to the second Bloomfield run. Berardi and Mathews homered to lead of the third inning as the Deacons put up four runs in the inning to take a 6-0 lead.

USP got two back in the bottom of the fourth as Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) doubled to left field to start the inning. Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) replaced her on the base paths and later scored on an infield error that allowed Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) to reach second base. Trimble then delivered a two-out single to score Brown to make the score 6-2.

Mathews’ second home run of the game in the top of the sixth made the score 7-2 before the Devils struck again in the bottom of the sixth. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) singled down the left field line to start the inning and came around to score on Sarina Lavooy’s double who was also thrown out on the play trying to reach third. Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) then hit her second double of the game and came around to score when Trimble reached on a throwing error by Bloomfield’s pitch Erin Covell to make the score 7-4.

Bloomfield struck for five more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. The big blow was Berardi’s three-run home run to right center field. Bossert singled and Sarina Lavooy walked in the Devils final at-bat but that was all the offense that USP could generate as the Deacons prevailed 12-4.

The Devils struck first in the second game as Sarina Lavooy singled and advanced to second on Trimble’s one-out single. Both players came around to score on Carolynn Snavely’s (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) double and the Devils had a 2-0 lead.

Bloomfield tied the game with single runs in the second and third and took the lead for the first time with three more in the fifth. Berardi hit her third home run of the day with two out to make the score 4-2 and Brianne Moore singled with the bases loaded to make the score 5-2.

Mathews hit her third home run of the day in the sixth as the Deacons piled on three more runs to take an 8-2 lead. Another run in the seventh made the score 7-2 and the Devils were down to their final at-bat. Sarina Lavooy singled and Trimble drew a one-out walk. Tu then delivered a two-out single to left field to score both runners but that was all as the Deacons completed the sweep with a 9-4 win.

Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss to finish the season with a 4-6 record. Morgan struck out five while giving up nine runs (five earned) on 15 hits. The freshman pitcher finished also finished the season with the lowest earned run average on the Devils (4.53) and the best strikeout/7 in. mark (6.16).

Moore earned the win, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out nine.

For the 2007 season, the Devils as a team batted .308, their best batting average since the 1998 season when they batted .321. USP also cut their errors in half from last season and recorded the best fielding average over the past ten seasons (.960).

USP Records 19 Hits in Win over Chestnut Hill (4/26/07)

All nine players in the batting order recorded at least one hit apiece as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team belted a season-high 19 hits in their 10-4 non-league win over Chestnut Hill College Thursday afternoon at McNeil Field.

The win improves the Devils overall record to 14-21, their most wins since the 2000 season. Chestnut Hill falls to 9-16.

Ashley Schappell (Sr., Parkland HS/ Schnecksville, Pa.), Danielle Czajka (Jr., Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.), Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) and Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) had three hits apiece to lead the Devils assault on the Griffins pitching with Czajka driving in three runs. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) had two hits apiece with Bossert driving in a pair of runs. Erin Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.) pitched a complete game for her second consecutive win, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out seven.

Jessica Day had three of the hits eight hits against Degnan, including a solo home run and an RBI single. Kim Paynter took the loss, allowing seven earned runs while striking out one and walking none.

It was the Griffins that struck first, scoring two times in their first at-bat as Julie Treen reached on a two base infield error to score both Michelle Bauer and Day and give the Griffins a 2-0 lead.

The Devils got the runs back in the second inning as Ebersole led off with a triple and scored on an error by the shortstop on the throw back into the infield. Schappell and Brown followed with singles with Schappell scoring on Czajka's single to even the game at 2-2.

Day launched her solo home run over the left-centerfield fence in the top of the third, putting Chestnut Hill ahead for the moment 3-2 until the Devils struck for six runs in the bottom of the third to take an 8-3 lead. Tu singled to left to start the inning and came around to score on Samantha Lavooy's (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) triple off the bottom of the centerfield fence. Ebersole followed with an RBI single and Schappell reached on an infield error. Brown added a single to load the bases with nobody out for Czajka, who doubled into the centerfield gap to score two more runs and give the Devils a 6-3 lead. Three batters later, Bossert lined a single into left centerfield to score Czajka and Brown and the Devils had an 8-3 lead.

USP added two more runs in the fifth as Ashley Tobin (So., Warwick HS/Lititz, Pa.) singled to start the inning and scored on Ashlee Trupp's (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) double. Trupp later scored on Tu's single to left field. A great play by Bauer at shortstop snagging a low line drive by Ebersole and turning it into a double play saved the Griffins from any further damage. Two walks in the top of the sixth and a single by Day scored the final run of the day for Chestnut Hill as the Devils recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh with Degnan getting Laura Barrett looking at a called third strike to end the game.

The Devils conclude their regular season with a doubleheader at McNeil Field against Bloomfield College on Saturday, April 28, 2007. The first game is set to begin at noon.

Devils Split With Rams; Remain in Playoff Contention (4/25/07)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team missed a golden opportunity to solidify a playoff spot in the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championships, splitting a twinbill with Philadelphia University Tuesday Afternoon at McNeil Field.

The Devils took the first game 8-3 but lost the second 10-1. The Devils' record remains at .500 in conference games with a 10-10 mark. Overall USP is now 13-21. USP is currently tied with Post University for the sixth and final playoff spot with two conference games remaining. Post has four CACC games left and holds the tiebreaker over the Devils by virtue of their doubleheader sweep earlier this year. The Rams fall to 10-24 overall and 6-12 in league play.

Samantha Lavooy(Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had three hits in the doubleheader to move into second place on the Devils' all-time hit list behind her sister Sarina. Samantha now has 126 career hits while Sarina, who also had three hits in the two games, tops the list with 161.

The Devils banged out a total of 13 hits in the opener as they scored five times in the first two innings en route to an 8-3 win. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) had three hits while Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.), Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) and both Lavooy sisters had two hits apiece. Crotti and Samantha Lavooy also drove in two runs apiece. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) evened her record at 7-7 with the win, allowing just three runs on six hits while striking out five.

Maggie Desmond hit a two-run home run for the Rams. Kristin Giamatteo and Kelly Rauco had two hits apiece. Stacy Bahr took the loss.

After giving up the two-run home run to Desmond in the first inning, the Devils bounced right back with three runs in the bottom of the first to retake the lead 3-2. Sarina Lavooy walked to start the inning and was sacrificed over to second by Tu. A steal of third moved Lavooy closer to scoring. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) walked to put runners on the corners before the Devils strung together consecutive singles by Crotti, Samantha Lavooy and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) to put three runs onto the board.

USP added two more runs in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Sarina Lavooy tripled home Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) with the first run and Tu immediately followed with a double to score Lavooy with the second run of the inning.

Flint gave up just two hits over the next four innings as the Devils continued to lead 5-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Tu and Trimble led off the inning with singles and Snavely hit into a fielder's choice to replace Tu on the base paths. Crotti and Samantha Lavooy followed with singles to score Trimble and Snavely. Lavooy later scored on Brown's two out single to complete the scoring for USP.

The Rams got two singles and walk to load the bases in the seventh before Lindsey Field hit into a fielder's choice to score Lindsay White. Flint then retired the next two batters to end the game.

In the nightcap, the Rams recorded 11 hits and scored twice in the second, five times in the third and three more in the fourth to hand the Devils their worst defeat of the season, 10-1 in five innings. Jacque Curtis drove in six of Philadelphia's runs with a two-run home run an single and a double. Desmond added three RBI to her game one total with a two-run triple and an RBI single.

USP got their lone run in the first inning as Trimble delivered a two-out single and Snavely walked. Samantha Lavooy then lofted a high fly to the outfield which popped out of the left fielder's for a two-base error, scoring Trimble and giving the Devils a short-lived 1-0 lead as the Rams struck for two on Curtis' home run in their next at-bat and the floodgates opened in the next two innings with eight more runs to make the final score 10-1.

The Devils return home for their final two doubleheaders of the regular season next week, taking on Chestnut Hill College on Thursday, April 26th and Bloomfield College on Saturday, April 28th. The Chestnut Hill doubleheader will start at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday’s contest will start at noon.

Offense Abounds as Devils Split with Chargers (4/21/07)

Twenty-three hits and nineteen runs. These were the numbers put up by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team Saturday afternoon as they continue in their quest for a playoff berth, splitting their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader with Dominican College in Orangeburg, New York.

The Devils took the first game, 14-11 in eight innings. Dominican, however, rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the second game 6-5. With the split the Devils are now 12-20 overall and 9-9 in league play. Dominican is 15-15 overall and 7-7 in league play.

Sarina Lavooy’s (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) double with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning was the difference in the opener. Lavooy finished the game with three hits and three walks while scoring three times and driving in two runs. Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) also had three hits apiece as part of the 15-hit USP attack. Snavely drove in four runs while Abbate added three. Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) had two RBI apiece. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) got the win, giving up 11 runs (seven earned) and 12 hits while striking out eight and walking six.

Dominican got home runs from Jamie Ollari, Jackie Terpstra and Christine Stathes as part of a 12-hit attack. Ollari finished the game with four RBI. Stathes took the loss in relief for the Chargers, pitching the final three innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits while walking three.

Snavely’s sacrifice fly in the first inning gave the Devils a 1-0 lead but the Chargers came back with two runs in the bottom of the first, another in the second and two more in the third to take a 5-1 lead. Terpstra and Stathes hit back-to-back homers in the third to account for the Chargers two runs in the inning.

The Devils offense came to life in the fifth inning as they sent 10 batters to the plate to score five runs and take a 6-5 lead. The Devils had only two hits in the inning but took advantage of five walks and a hit batter issued by the Dominican pitchers. Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) had one of those two hits, leading off the inning with a single to left field. Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) came in to run for Brown and promptly stole second. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) walked and Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Devils then pulled off a rare triple steal with Trupp scoring and Crotti and Bossert advancing into scoring position. A walk to Lavooy loaded the bases again. Walks to Abbate and Trimble brought home two more runs to make the score 5-4. Snavely then singled in another run to tie the game at 5-5 and the Devils again had the bases loaded with nobody out. Ebersole walked to bring in the go-ahead run before the Chargers completed two force plays at home and picked off a USP runner to get out of the inning.

Dominican tied the game again in the bottom of the fifth as Flint issued three consecutive walks to produce a run. USP made it 10-6 with four more runs in the sixth inning. USP opened the inning with consecutive singles by Crotti, Bossert, Lavooy and Abbate produced the seventh USP run. After Trimble reached on a fielder’s choice, Snavely singled to drive home Abbate and Lavooy. Ebersole then reached on a fielder’s choice to score Trimble and make the score 10-6.

Ollari hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Chargers within one 10-9 before the Devils went backup by two on a bases-loaded walk to Trimble. Two errors in the bottom of the seventh allowed the Chargers to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

Kristina Kelly (Sr., G.A.M.P./ Philadelphia, Pa. ) walked to lead off the eighth and Crotti reached on a fielder’s choice. Bossert had an infield single to load the bases for Lavooy, who doubled to left field, clearing the bases and giving the Devils a 14-11 lead. Flint got the first two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning before allowing a single by Danielle Garrison. Flint then struck out Melanie Hesterman to end the game and give USP the win.

Dominican trailed 5-2 in the nightcap before rallying to score four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pullout the victory 6-5. Lauren Galladay hit a home run for the Chargers as Laurie Edwards picked up the win in relief.

After getting three hits in the opener, Abbate hit the first home run of her college career in the nightcap, a three-run blast over the centerfield fence in the second inning. Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had two hits for the Devils as part of an eight hit attack. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and striking out four.

Abbate’s blast was part of a four run second inning that saw the Devils bat around. Samantha Lavooy singled to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. A walk to Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) and a single by Sarina Lavooy brought up Abbate who cleared the bases with her blast to center field, giving the Devils a 4-0 lead.

Galladay led off the fourth inning with a home run to pull the Chargers within three, 4-1. USP got the run back in the fifth on an RBI single by Bossert. The Chargers made the score 5-2 as Galladay drew a bases loaded walk.

The score remained 5-2 until the seventh . Two singles and an error loaded the bases for Ollari who singled to drive in the third run. Another walk to Galladay made the score 5-4 and a walk to Michelle Krupna tied the game at 5-5. After getting the first out on an infield pop out, Stathes then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Ollari with the winning run.

The Devils return home for their final three doubleheaders of the regular season next week, taking on Philadelphia University on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, Chestnut Hill College on Thursday, April 26th and Bloomfield College on Saturday, April 28th. The two weekday doubleheaders will start at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday’s contest will start at noon.

Devils Sweep Warriors (4/20/07)

Erin Degnan and Rachel Morgan pitched complete game wins and Megan Trimble hit her third home run of the season as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team took both games of a doubleheader against Nyack College, 4-2 and 6-1 Friday afternoon at McNeil Field.

The Devils improve to 11-19 overall with the two wins and 8-8 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Nyack falls to 6-19 overall and 3-11 in league games. USP's 11 wins are the most by a Devils softball team since the 2004 season.

Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.) allowed just five hits and two runs while striking out four in the opener to earn the first win of her college career. Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) and Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) had two hits apiece as the Devils got hits from seven of their nine batters. Four of USP's nine hits went for extra bases. Melanie Susen had two of Nyack's five hits. Lauren Jacobs took the loss for the Warriors.

The Warriors got on the scoreboard in their first at-bat, manufacturing a run off two walks a stolen base and a single by Laura Briggs. The Devils tied the game up in the bottom of the first. Trimble hit a long two-out fly ball that was misplayed by centerfielder Danielle Palentchar and wound up on third base on the error. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) followed with a triple to centerfield, scoring Trimble with the tying run.

USP took a 2-1 lead in the third inning as Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) led off the inning with a triple and scored on Trimble's single. The lead was short-lived as Nyack's Lynnae Thompson drilled a pitch over the fence in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2.

The Devils retook the lead in the sixth inning. Crotti and Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) led off the inning with back-to-back doubles, giving the Devils a 3-2 lead. Lavooy advanced to third on an infield groundout and later scored on Annie Abbate's (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) infield single to make the score 4-2. Degnan got the first two outs of the seventh before allowing a single by Susen. Lauren Campbell then flied out to Trimble in rightfield to end the game.

It was Trimble's two-run home run in the fifth that opened up a close game and started a three-run outburst in the inning that left the Devils with a five-run lead 6-1. Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) earned the win, evening her record at 4-4. The freshman pitcher allowed just three hits, one unearned run while striking out nine batters. USP had only five hits in the game with Sarina Lavooy getting two of them.

After sending nine batters to the plate and manufacturing three runs on just one hit in the second inning, the Devils held a 3-0 lead. Nyack took advantage of an infield error by the Devils to plate a run in the fourth inning to make the score 3-1.

Leading 3-1 in the fifth inning, Sarina Lavooy singled to start the inning. After Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) popped out, Trimble took an 0-2 pitch from losing pitcher Lauren Merkley and put it over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run, her third of the season to make the score 5-1. The Devils were not finished as Snavely followed Trimble's dinger with a single and Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/ Marlton, N.J.) doubled to put two runners in scoring position for Samantha Lavooy. Lavooy flied out to deep left field as Snavely tagged and scored on the play to make the score 6-1.

Nyack threatened in the top of the sixth, getting a walk to Thompson and a single to Palentchar to start the inning. Another walk with two outs loaded the bases but Brynne Hennessy hit a ground to third baseman Laura Hamilton (So., Cardinal O'Hara/ Havertown, Pa.) who stepped on the third base bag for the force out as the Warriors left the bases loaded. Nyack finished the game leaving 11 runners stranded on the base paths. A one-out walk in the seventh was all the offense the Warriors could muster in their final at-bat as Morgan retired the next two batters to end the game.

The Devils take to the road when the play Dominican College on Saturday, April 21, 2007 in Orangeburg, New York. The first game is set to start at 1:00 p.m.

Georgian Court Sweeps Devils (4/19/07)

Georgian Court University banged out six extra base hits in Wednesday's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference softball doubleheader against the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia as they swept the Devils 7-2 and 4-2 in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The losses drop the Devils record to 9-19 overall and 6-8 in CACC games. The Lions improve to 20-18 overall and 14-2 in league play.

The Devils had five hits in the first game, getting RBI's from Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) and Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.). Erin Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.) took the loss, pitching four innings, and allowing five hits, six runs while walking six and striking out four. Georgian Court had seven hits, four for extra bases as the Lions got two RBI each from Heather Walker, Stacey Ryan and Julie Sito. Samantha Sasko earned the win.

The Lions scored four times in their first at-bat getting two runs from Ryan's RBI double and a two-run home run from Sito. Two more GCU runs in the fourth inning made the score 6-0 before the Devils got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/ Marlton, N.J.) led off the fifth inning with a single and Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) came in to run. Trupp later scored on Abbate's two-out double to make the score 6-1.

The Lions scored their final run in the bottom of the fifth as Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.), now pitching for Degnan, walked two batters in the inning before Ashley Wierema singled to plate the seventh GCU run. Crotti launched a solo home run in the sixth inning to account for the Devils final run as the Lions prevailed 7-2.

Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.)and Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert's HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) had two hits apiece in the nightcap but the Lions held off a seventh inning rally by the Devils to win 4-2 to complete the sweep. Wierema had three hits and Ryan drove in two runs with a home run in the fifth. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss, allowing nine hits while walking one and striking out six. Sasko earned her second win of the day, striking out eight Devil batters and allowing six hits.

Solo runs by the Lions in the third and the fourth innings followed by Ryan's two-run blast in the fifth gave the Georgian Court a 4-0 lead. The score remained 4-0 until the seventh inning when the Devils rallied to score two runs before the Lions ended the threat with some solid defense.

Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) walked to lead off the inning and was replaced on the base paths by Trupp. Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) then launched a pinch-hit double to put two runners in scoring position. Trupp scored on Carolynn Snavely's (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) infield groundout and Samantha Tu (Fr., Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) reached on an infield error to put runners at the corners. Sarina Lavooy delivered a two-out bunt single to score her sister with the second USP run and Bossert singled to load the bases. Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) then hit a hard line drive up the middle that was snared by the pitcher Sasko to end the the game.

The Devils return to action on Friday, April 20, 2007 when they host Nyack College in a doubleheader at McNeil Field. The first game is set to start at 3:00 p.m.

Brown's Home Run Lifts Devils to Win over Caldwell (4/14/07)
Cougars Win game two 5-0

Brittany Brown's solo walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the University of the Sciences women's softball team to a 6-5 win in the opening game of this afternoon's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against nationally ranked Caldwell College at McNeil Field in Philadelphia. The Cougars, ranked 12th in the most recent coaches poll, salvaged a split with a 5-0 win over the Devils in game two.

The win was the Devils first ever victory over Caldwell. USP had been 0-14 going back to the year 2000. The Devils record with the split is now 9-17 overall and 6-6 in league play. Caldwell fell to 20-8 overall and 10-4 in league play.

Leading off the eighth inning, Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/ Marlton, N.J.) to a 2-2 pitch from losing pitcher Nicole Webb (9-6) and promptly put it over the left centerfield fence to end the game and give the Devils the 6-5 win in extra innings. The home run was Brown's first of the season and her only hit of the game. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) got the win, going the distance, giving up nine hits while striking out seven and not issuing a single walk. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) went 3-for-3 with three RBI while Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) had a double in her only official at-bat to drive in two runs for the Devils. Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) also had two hits in the game.

Stacy Falkowski and Alyssa Speno had two hits apiece for the Cougars in the opener. Stephanie Brodo hit a solo home run and had two RBI in the game while Falkowski also drove in two for the Cougars. Webb struck out 10 and gave up 10 hits while walking two.

Caldwell struck first with four runs in the third inning. Carrie Flasphaler led off with a double and later scored on Brodo's infield groundout. Jackie Velardi later drove in Nicole Bodrog with a single and Falkowski added a two-out two-RBI single to make the score 4-0.

The Devils chipped away at the lead, getting three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert's HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) delivered a one-out single through the left side of the infield followed by a single by Lavooy and a walk to Trimble to load the bases. Snavely then delivered her team leading seventh double of the season to clear the bases and pull the Devils within one 4-3.

One inning later, the Devils took their first lead of the game. Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) was a one-out base-runner with a single up the middle. Bossert then hit a routine grounder to first base which went through Brittany Frantellizzi's legs for an error as Abbate moved to second. After Sarina Lavooy struck out, Trimble delivered a two-out double to right center field to score both Abbate and Bossert. Trimble was out at third on a questionable call to end the inning, but the Devils had taken a 5-4 lead.

The Cougars quickly tied the game up in the top of the seventh as Brodo took the first pitch from Morgan and put it over the left centerfield fence for a home run and a tie game 5-5. Morgan then got the next three batters out to end the inning. After the Devils failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings, Morgan pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Brown led of the bottom of the eighth with the home run to win it for the Devils.

In the nightcap, Kristen dela Campa (7-1) pitched a two-hit shutout as the Cougars salvaged a split with the Devils by winning 5-0. Brown (a double) and Laura Hamilton (So., Cardinal O'Hara/ Havertown, Pa.) (single) had the only hits for USP. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) took the loss, falling to 5-7 on the season. Flint allowed 11 hits wile walking four, hitting three batters and striking out three in a complete game effort.

Falkowski had two hits including a solo home run. Speno went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Kyrie Timbrook delivered a pinch hit single to drive in two runs late in the game. Bodrog and Desiree Wilson also had two hits for the Cougars.

Caldwell got on the board in their first at-bat taking advantage of two walks to load the bases and a bases loaded hit batter to force home a run. Falkowski's home run in the fifth made the score 2-0 and three batters later the Cougars had the bases load for Timbrook who singled to centerfield to to score two runs and make the score 4-0. The second of two double plays turned by USP saved the Devils from further damage.

Caldwell added an insurance run in the fifth as dela Campa shut the Devils down in order in the final three innings to preserve the 5-0 win.

The Devils return to action on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 when the take on league leading Georgian Court University in a doubleheader in Lakewood, New Jersey. The first game is set to start at 3:30 p.m.

West Chester Sweeps Devils (4/13/07)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team returned to action yesterday afternoon taking on area rival West Chester University in a non-league doubleheader in West Chester, Pennsylvania. West chester came away with victories in both games, 6-0 and 3-2.

The two losses drop the Devils record to 8-16 on the season. The Golden Rams improve to 19-18.

The Devils got a solo home run from Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) in the second game as seven different players each had one hit. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) took the loss, falling to 5-6 on the season. Flint allowed just three hits, giving up three unearned runs while striking out nine.

In the second game, the Golden Rams took advantage of four USP errors to score three times in the first inning while getting just one hit, an RBI single by Jamie McComb.

The Devils got a run back in the third when Ebersole led off the inning with a solo home run, her first of the season and the first of her college career, making the score 3-1. The Devils pulled within one, in the next inning. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) singled to start the inning and advanced on Samantha Lavooy's (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) one-out single, Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) then lined a two-out single to right field to score Crotti with the second Devils run and make the score 3-2.

Neither team would score again as Flint allowed just two singles the rest of the way and West Chester pitchers Brittany Rees and Shannon Padula held the Devils scoreless. Rees (4-8) earned the win with Padula getting the save in relief.

In the opener, Megan Harbaugh hit a three-run home run in the first inning to stake West Chester to a 3-0 lead. Alisha DeMarzio added a solo home run in the second as the Golden Rams scored three more times to take a 6-0 lead which held up for the remainder of the game. Both USP and West Chester managed just four hits apiece. Harbaugh finished the game with four RBI. Padula took the win for the Golden Rams while Erin Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.) took the loss.

The Devils return home to take on Caldwell College on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at McNeil Field. The first game is set to start at noon.

Devils Split with Holy Family (4/10/07)

Mia Crotti drove in five runs and Megan Trimble hit her second home run of the season and scored four times as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team salvaged a split with Holy Family University with an 11-6 win in the nightcap of this afternoon's Central atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at McNeil Field on the USP campus.

The win gave the Devils a split with the Tigers, who snapped USP's four game winning streak with a 6-3 win in the opener. USP improved to 8-14 overall and 5-5 in league play. Holy Family fell to 11-13 overall and 6-4 in league play. The 11-6 win was the Devils first victory over the Tigers since the 2001 season, a span of 11 games including today's opener.

Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) went 3-for-4 in the nightcap with a triple and a double, driving in runs with all three of her hits. Mia also threw out two runners trying to steal and another trying to stretch a double to a triple. Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) also had three hits, including a solo home run to straightaway centerfield and finished the game with two RBI. Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) and Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) had two hits apiece while Ashley Schappell (Sr., Parkland HS/ Schnecksville, Pa.) drove in two runs with a long single. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) got the complete game win, giving up 10 hits while striking out two and walking eight to improve her record to 5-5 on the season.

Sarah Marsteller went 4-for-4 with two RBI for the Tigers in the nightcap while Jennifer Eschemann had two hits and scored three times. Jamie Goffney also drove in two runs for Holy Family . Bridget Robinson took the loss, going 3 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs and eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Crotti got the Devils on the board with a two-out triple in the first inning, scoring Lavooy and Trimble and giving USP a 2-0 lead. The Tigers came back with three runs in the top of the second as Eschemann walked, stole second and scored on Stephanie Kinnick's single. Goffney follwed with a single to score Alison McBryar who also walked. Marsteller then singled to score Kinnick with the third Tiger run.

Holy Family took a 5-2 lead with two more runs in the third inning as the Tigers took advantage of four walks including a bases loaded pass to Goffney to bring in the first run. A single by Marsteller brought in the fifth Tiger run.

Trimble led off the bottom of the third getting under a 2-0 pitch from Robinson and driving it over the fence in straightaway centerfield to make the score 5-3. The floodgates opened up in the next inning as USP sent 11 players to the plate to take the lead for good.

Ebersole and Danielle Czajka (Jr., Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) led off the inning with singles. Sarina Lavooy follwed with a one-out single to load the bases. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert's HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) then delivered a bunt single to score Ebersole and bring up Trimble. The Tigers changed pitchers and brought in Jody Searcross to face the former CACC Player of the Year, who promptly delivered a single down the left field line to score Czajka with the tying run. Schappell then hit a long single to score Sarina Lavooy and Bossert with the go-ahead runs. Crotti singled up the middle to score Trimble with the Devils fifth run of the inning. Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) loaded the bases with a single before Searcross struck out Ebersole for the second out. Czajka then struck out but the pitch got away from the Tigers catcher enabling Czajka to run to first. Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.), running for Schappell was forced out at the plate to end the big inning, but the Devils now held an 8-5 lead.

USP added three more insurance runs in the fifth as Sarina Lavooy started things off with a one-out bunt single, stole second and was sacrificed to third by Bossert. Trimble was intentionally walked and then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Schappell then reached on an error, allowing Lavooy to score as Trimble moved to third. Schappell reached second on a passed ball before Crotti delivered her second extra-base hit of the game, a double in the right centerfield gap to score Trimble and Schappell and make the score 11-5.

The Tigers added a run in the sixth on McBryar's RBI double. McBryar was thrown out by Crotti trying to to advance to third on the throw home which was not in time to get Eschemann with Holy Family's sixth run. The Tigers threatened again in the seventh as Marsteller delivered a bunt single but was erased trying to steal by Crotti for the second out. After Vicki Grayson was hit by a pitch, Kristilyn Obert hit a come backer to Flint who threw to Schappell at first for the final out of the game.

In the opener, Sarina Lavooy, Trimble and Crotti each had two hits but it was not enough as the Devils lost, 6-3 snapping their four-game winning streak. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss, going the distance, giving up 11 hits, walking two and striking out four to fall to 2-3 on the season.

Searcross earned the complete game win for the Tigers. Lauren Armstrong and Eschemann each hit two-run home runs and joined teammates McBryar, and Dolores Brown with two hits apiece.

Carolynn Snavely's (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) one-out single in the first inning gave the Devils a 2-0 lead as Sarina Lavooy (single) and Trimble (double) scored. The score remained at 2-0 until Armstrong tied the game with a two run home run to right field off an 0-2 pitch from Morgan. Eschemann followed with a single and came home on McBryar's double who later scored on Stephanie Mongiello's sacrifice fly to make the score 4-2.

USP got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Bossert delivered a two-out double to left center field, scoring Crotti who had singled to lead off the inning, making the score 4-3. Eschemann delivered a two-run home run to left center field in the seventh, again connecting on an 0-2 pitch from Morgan. Armstrong had singled and was thrown out trying to steal by Crotti to start the inning. Marsteller then drew a walk before Eschemann launched her shot to make the score 6-3 in favor of the Tigers. USP went out in order in their final at-bat to give the Tigers the win.

The Devils will be at West Chester University on Thursday, April 12, 2007 for a non-league doubleheader. The first game is set to start at 3:00 p.m.

Trimble Named to CACC Softball Honor Roll (4/10/07)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball player Megan Trimble was named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women’s Softball Weekly Honor Roll for her performance during the week ending April 9, 2007.

In being named to the honor roll for the second time this season, Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) batted .563 with nine hits in 16 at-bats in the Devils four games this week. Megan extended her hitting streak to five games while driving in eight runs and also hit her first home run of the season, leading the Devils to a perfect 4-0 week.

Opening the week against Goldey Beacom, the senior outfielder collected five hits in eight at-bats, while scoring four runs and driving in three. Trimble also became just the fifth USP softball player to record 100 hits for their career, reaching the mark with a single in the fifth inning of the second game.

On Saturday, Trimble hit her first home run of the season in her first at-bat in the first game against Felician College, giving the Devils an early 2-0 lead. The two RBI moved her past Carol Ann Bradford into the top spot on USP's all-time RBI list with 74. Trimble finished the afternoon with five RBI, giving her 77 for her career. Megan had four hits in eight at-bats while scoring three times. Her three-hit effort in the second game against the Golden Falcons was her tenth multiple hit game of the season, tops on the Devils squad.

Trimble, a Pharmacy major pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, is in their fourth and final season of play for the Devils. Megan currently leads the Devils in batting (.417), hits (25), runs batted in (15), slugging percentage (.517) and is tied for the team lead in runs scored with 13.

Devils Complete Perfect Week with Sweep of Felician (4/7/07)

Sarina Lavooy drove in the winning runs in the opening game against Felician College and Megan Trimble became the Devils all-time RBI leader with five RBI on the afternoon as the University of the Sciences women's softball team completed a doubleheader sweep of the Golden Falcons 9-8 and 7-5 at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The doubleheader was the Devils home opener and with the two wins, they complete a perfect 4-0 week and improve to 4-4 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games and 7-13 overall. Felician falls to 7-8 overall and 1-5 in league play.

Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) had three hits in five at bats in the opener, including a single up the middle with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh inning which scored two runs to give the Devils a 9-8 come-from-behind win. Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/ Coatesville, Pa.) got the Devils on the board in the opener with a two-run home run to straightaway centerfield in the first inning. The two RBI gave the senior rightfielder a career total of 74, passing the mark of 73 set by Carol Ann Bradford from 1987-1990. Trimble added three more RBI in the nightcap and now has 77 for her career. Samantha Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) and Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/ Marlton, N.J.) also had three hits to help pace USP's 11-hit attack. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) earned the win in relief despite giving up three runs in the seventh inning, upping her record to 4-5.

Brittany Taylor went 3-for-4 in the opener for the Golden Falcons while Heather Van Dyke and Nicole Degenhardt each had two hits. Sherry Flynn took the loss for Felician.

Sarina Lavooy opened the game with a single through the left side and later stole second. After Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) popped out, Trimble took a 2-2 pitch from Flynn and put in over the centerfield fence for her first home run of the season and a 2-0 USP lead. The Devils added an unearned run later in the inning and led 3-0 until the third inning.

Felician sent seven batters to the plate in the top of the third, taking advantage of two USP errors to score three runs and tie the game at 3-3. Taylor had the second of her three hits with two out to drive in the tying run.

Singles by Brown and Samantha Lavooy started the fourth inning. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) followed with a double to center field to score Brown and Lavooy and make the score 5-3. Felician followed with a solo run in the fourth to pull within one 5-4 before the Devils struck again in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs to take a 7-4 lead. Trimble reached on an error to start the inning. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) walked and Brown singled to load the bases for Samantha Lavooy who delivered a single to center field to drive in both Trimble and Snavely.

Felician pulled within two, 7-5 on Heather Van Dyke's two out single through the right side in the top half of the fifth. Flint came on to pitch in the sixth inning giving up just a two-out single in the sixth. The Devils and Flint however, got into trouble in the seventh as the Golden Falcons scored three times to take and 8-7 lead. Flynn walked to start the inning and was sacrificed to second. Katie Spera then singled to score Flynn and put the tying run on base. Heather Van Dyke singled and both runners scored on Deganhardt's two-out double to centerfield to give Felician their first lead of the game and force the Devils to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

Pinch hitter Shannon Roth (Jr., Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) led off the inning and reached on an error. Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) took her place on the base paths at second base. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert's HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) then hit into a fielders choice and Trupp reached third safely as Felician's third baseman Rebecca Dodd missed the tag. Bossert then stole second before Sarina Lavooy delivered a single up the middle to score Trupp and Bossert with the tying and winning runs, giving the Devils their third straight win, 9-8.

In the second game, the Devils jumped out to a 6-0 lead and made it hold up for a 7-5 win, their fourth straight triumph. Trimble went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI while Crotti and Bossert had two hits apiece. Snavely and Bossert also drove in two runs each. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) earned her second consecutive win, pitching a complete game while striking out five.

Felician banged out nine hits with Nicole Broecker driving in three runs. Broecker and Dodd each had two hits for Felician. Dara DeSocio took the loss, pitching a complete game while striking out one.

The Devils broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the third inning. Crotti doubled to lead off the inning and scored on Bossert's single. After Trimble singled, Snavely launched a long two-out double to center field to score Bossert and Trimble. In the fourth inning, Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) singled and went to third on Crotti's one out single. Bossert then singled up the middle to score Ebersole. Sarina Lavooy drew a walk to load the bases. After Danielle Czajka (Jr., Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) hit into a fielders choice, forcing Crotti out at the plate, Trimble hit a hard shot at the Felician shortstop went for a single, scoring Bossert and Lavooy with Trimble taking second on the throw. Snavely then struck out to end the inning as the Devils led 6-0.

Felician loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning for Broecker who delivered a base-clearing double to cut the Devils lead in half, 6-3. Trimble drove in her third run of the game in the sixth inning with a single, scoring Sarina Lavooy who doubled with one out to make the score 7-3.

The Golden Falcons made one last push in the seventh as Courtney Gavin reached base on an infield error, moving to second on the overthrow. Heather Van Dyke reached first on a fielder's choice as Gavin remained at second. Degenhardt then delivered a one-out single to load the bases. After Broecker popped out, Meredith Rainer singled to drive in two runs and make the score 7-5, advancing to second on the throw home. Brittany Taylor then pooped out to end the game as the Devils hung on for the 7-5 win.

The Devils will face Holy Family University on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 in a CACC doubleheader. The games will start at 3:00 p.m. at McNeil Field.

Losing Streak Snapped with Sweep of Goldey Beacom (4/3/07)

Rachel Morgan and Laura Flint pitched complete games and Megan Trimble recorded her 100th career hit as both pitching and hitting came together yesterday afternoon for the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia's softball team. The Devils snapped an eight-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep of Goldey Beacom College, 10-2, and 9-2 in Wilmington, Delaware.

The two wins were the Devils first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference wins this season and improve their conference record to 2-4. The wins also break an 18-game conference losing streak dating back to last season. USP improves to 5-13 overall. Goldey Beacom falls to 1-19 overall and 0-8 in league play.

Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) (1-2) pitched the opener and earned her first collegiate win, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) improved her record to 3-5 on the season with a complete game performance in the nightcap, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out five.

Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) became just the fifth player in school history to reach 100 career hits with a single in the fifth inning of the second game, joining teammates Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) (138 and USP's all-time leader) and Samantha Lavooy(Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) (108), both of them reaching the mark last season; and Michelle Manship (125 hits from 1999-2002) and Heather Coyle (111 hits from 1996-2000). Trimble also had three RBI in the two games, giving her 10 for the season and 72 for her career, one behind all-time leader Carol Ann Bradford's 73 (set 1987-1990).

After giving up a two-run home run to Kendra Russell in the first inning of the opener, Morgan settled down, allowing just two hits the rest of the way, striking out four of the last six batters she faced as the USP offense banged out 14 hits to support the freshman hurler en route to the victory.

Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) and Laura Hamilton (So., Cardinal O'Hara/Havertown, Pa.) singled to start the second inning. A walk to Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) loaded the bases for Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) who singled to drive in two runs and tie the game at 2-2. After Sarina Lavooy struck out, Shannon Roth (Jr., Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) reached on an infield error to score Abbate. Trimble then singled to score Bossert with the fourth run of the inning. USP added an unearned run in the third inning before striking for three more runs in the top of the fourth.

Carolynn Snavely's (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) double scored Trimble who had walked to lead off the inning. Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) followed with a triple to score Snavely and Brown singled to score Crotti to make the score 8-2. One inning later, Crotti had her second extra-base hit of the game, a two-out double to drive in Snavely with the ninth USP run. Snavely added her second double of the game in the Devils seventh inning, to drive in Samantha Lavooy with the tenth and final USP run. Trimble finished the game with three hits while Sarina Lavooy, Snavely, Crotti and Brown each had two to help pace the Devils 14-hit attack.

The Devils staked Flint to a 4-0 lead in the nightcap, scoring twice in the first and twice in the third. In the first Sarina Lavooy blasted a shot off the outstretched glove of rightfielder Jenny Reager which fell for a two-base error. Trimble later reached on an error and Lavooy scored on Ashley Schappell's (Sr., Parkland HS/Schnecksville, Pa.) groundout. Trimble then scored on Brittany Ebersole's (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) single. In the third, Trimble's one-out double scored Morgan who had just gotten a single for her first collegiate hit. Schappell followed with an RBI single to score Trimble and make the score 4-0.

The Lightning struck for two runs in the bottom of the third inning as Russell led off the inning with a double. Kelly Halfin then doubled to score Russell and later scored herself on a sacrifice by Kim Narkowicz to make the score 4-2. The score remained 4-2 until the fifth inning when the Devils struck for four more runs to blow the game open.

Pinch hitter Ashlee Trupp (So., Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a Morgan sacrifice. Trimble followed with a single to score Trupp. Schappell and Ebersole added singles to load the bases. Danielle Czajka (Jr., Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) then hit into a fielder's choice to drive in Trimble. Michelle Stringer (Sr., Cumberland Valley HS (Pa.)/Cape Carteret, N.C.) followed with a double to score Czajka and Ebersole to make the score 8-2. The Devils got their final run in the sixth inning when Samantha Lavooy led off the inning with her second home run of the season, a shot down the right field line.

The Devils return to action on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 when the host Columbia Union College in a non-conference matchup at McNeil Field, starting at 3:00 p.m. Nyack College comes into town on Thursday, April 5, 2007 for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. and the Devils close out the week with a doubleheader against Felician College at McNeil field on Saturday, April 7, 2007 starting at noon.

Eagles Rally to Sweep Devils (4/2/07)

Post University used late inning rallies in both games of Saturday afternoon's softball doubleheader to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia 8-6 and 11-10 at LaMoy Field in Waterbury, Connecticut.

The two losses extend the Devils losing streak to eight games. USP is now 3-13 overall and 0-4 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Post University improves to 6-12 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) went 4-for-4 with three RBI and Brittany Brown (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) had two hits and drove in two runs in the opener, as the Devils lost 8-6. Erin Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.) (0-5) took the loss, pitching 5 1/3 innings while striking out five. Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) and Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) also had two hits apiece for the Devils. Megan Pappas had three hits to pace the Eagles offense as Stephanie Carillo picked up the win.

Pappas put the Eagles on the board in the opener with an RBI double in the first inning. The Devils tied the game with a run in the top of the second as Brown scored on Crotti's one out single. Post took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the second. The score remained 3-1 until the Devils tied the game with solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

Brown reached on an error to start the fourth inning and later scored on another Crotti single to make the score 3-2. The Devils proceed to load the bases in the sixth with one-out singles by Crotti and Bossert and Lavooy getting hit by a pitch. Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) then grounded out for the second out as Crotti scored the tying run. Post broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth, sending 10 batters to the plate, scoring five times to take an 8-3 lead.

The Devils made one last push in their final at-bat. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) walked to lead off the inning. Pinch hitter Shannon Roth (Jr., Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) then laced a single and both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Brown followed with a single to score both Snavely and Roth to pull the Devils within three, 8-5. Brown moved to second on an infield ground out. Crotti then drove Brown in with her fourth hit of the game, a double before Post got the next two USP batters out to end the game with an 8-6 win.

In the nightcap, the Devils held a 10-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning before the Eagles rallied with five runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to pull out an 11-10 win. Michelle Stringer (Sr., Cumberland Valley HS (Pa.)/Cape Carteret, N.C.) went 3-for-4 with four RBI, but committed a critical passed ball which allowed the winning run to score in the seventh. Sarina Lavooy and Kristina Kelly (Sr., G.A.M.P./ Philadelphia, Pa. ) each had three hits with Lavooy driving in a pair of runs. Ashley Schappell (Sr., Parkland HS/Schnecksville, Pa.) and Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) had two hits apiece to help pace the Devils 15-hit attack. Post had eight different players get at least one hit and benefited from eight walks issued by USP pitcher Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.). Flint took the loss to fall to 2-5 on the season. Pappas earned the win for the Eagles.

Lavooy scored on an infield error to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead in the first. The Devils then scored four times in the second to take a 5-0 lead. Schappell walked and moved to second on Danielle Czajka's (Jr., Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) infield groundout. Kelly and Stringer followed with singles as Schappell scored the second USP run. Lavooy then singled to score Kelly and Trimble followed with a two-out double to score Stringer and Lavooy.

Post got two runs back in the bottom of the second to trail 5-2 before the Devils built their lead back up to five 7-2 with two runs in the third. Schappell had a one-out double and Czajka walked to put runners on first and second. Kelly sacrificed the runners into scoring position and Stringer and Lavooy followed with RBI singles to score Schappell and Czajka.

The Eagles scored once in the bottom of the third to make the score 7-3 and Devils maintained a four-run lead until the top of the sixth when the scored three times to take a 10-3 lead. Trimble singled to start the inning and advanced to third on two infield groundouts. Schappell followed with a single to score Trimble. A walk to Czajka and a single by Kelly loaded the bases for Stringer, who delivered a two-out two RBI single to make the score 10-3.

Post sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking advantage of four walks in the inning to score five times to make the score 10-8. In the seventh inning, Flint struck out the first Eagle batter before Jackie Davis reached base on Czajka's error. Vanessa Lagares then doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Shannon Firetto then singled to score two runs and tie the game at 10-10. Firetto advanced to second on Amanda Misa's single and later stole third. The Eagles then scored the winning run when Firetto crossed the plate following Stringer's passed ball, completing the doubleheader sweep with an 11-10 win.

The Devils return to action on Monday, April 2, 2007 when the take on Goldey-Beacom College in a CACC doubleheader in Wilmington, Delaware.

Wildcats Sweep Devils (3/29/07)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team began conference play yesterday afternoon as they faced Wilmington College in a doubleheader in New Castle, Delaware. Megan Trimble extended her hitting streak to seven games with hits in both contests. However the Devils were swept by the Wildcats, 3-2 and 4-0.

The two losses drop USP's record to 3-11 overall and 0-2 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Wilmington improves to 9-5 overall and 2-2 in league play.

The Devils gave up single runs in the first, second and fourth innings of the opener, staking the Wildcats to a 3-0 lead before they closed the gap in the sixth. Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) led off the inning and reached on an infield error. Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) followed with a double, scoring Trimble and making the score 3-1. Snavely advanced to third on Samantha Lavooy's (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) groundout and scored on a groundout by Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) to make the score 3-2 before the Wildcats got Laura Hamilton (So., Cardinal O'Hara/Havertown, Pa.) to groundout to end the threat.

Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) delivered a one-out single in USP's final at bat but that was all the offense the Devils could muster as the Wildcats shut the door for the 3-2 win. Trimble went 2-for-4 in the contest with a double and run scored. USP finished the game with six hits. Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) (2-4) took the loss, giving up nine hits while striking out four and walking one. Katie Turner got the win for the Wildcats with Kim Lawrence picking up the save.

A single by Trimble and a double by Snavely were the only hits the Devils would get in the nightcap as the Wildcats banged out nine hits to defeat the Devils 4-0. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore. ) took the loss for the Devils, falling to 0-2 on the season. Lawrence picked up the win for Wilmington.

The Devils return to action on Saturday when the travel north to take on Post University in a CACC doubleheader.

Trimble Named to CACC Softball Honor Roll (3/19/07)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball player Megan Trimble was named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women’s Softball Weekly Honor Roll for her performance during the week ending March 18, 2007.

Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) extended her hitting streak to five games this week, getting hits in all three games that she played. The senior outfielder appeared in the Devils' second game against Drexel University on Monday,March 12th, getting two hits and a walk in three plate appearances. Trimble added two more multiple-hit games to her team leading total of five the next day.

Starting in rightfield in the opener against American International College, Trimble banged out two singles in four at-bats while scoring a run. In the nightcap, Trimble, now at the designated hitter spot, had three hits while driving in two runs and scoring once. For the week, Trimble batted .700 (6-15) with two RBI and two runs scored.

Trimble, a Pharmacy major pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, is in their fourth and final season of play for the Devils. Megan currently leads the Devils in batting (.393), and is tied for the team lead in hits (11) and runs batted in (5).

Lavooy Sets Record but Devils Drop a Pair to Yellow Jackets (3/14/07)

Sarina Lavooy became the all-time hit leader in the 24-year history of women’s softball at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia yesterday afternoon. However the Devils dropped both ends of their doubleheader against the Yellow Jackets of American International College 5-3 and 11-7.

USP falls to 3-9 overall with the two losses. AIC improves to 3-6 overall.

Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) entered the game tied with all-time leader Michelle Manship '04 at 125 career hits. After going 0-for-2 with a walk in her first three plate appearances, Lavooy hit a 1-2 pitch up the middle in the bottom of the seventh for her 126th career hit, putting her alone atop the all-time leaders. Lavooy added four more hits in the nightcap and now has 130 for her career.

In the opener, the Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings. Tara DeMontier opened the top of the fifth with a home run to make the score 5-0. The Devils got on the scoreboard in their half of the sixth inning, plating three runs to pull within two, 5-3. Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) and Carolynn Snavely (Jr., Prescott HS/Prescott, AZ) each had two-out singles with both runners coming around to score on Brittany Brown’s (Fr., Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) double. After Brown advanced on a passed ball, Mia Crotti (Fr., Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) walked to put runners on the corners with two outs. Pinch hitter Brittany Ebersole (So., Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) then beat out a bunt for an RBI single as Brown scored. Lavooy’s record breaking leadoff single started the seventh but AIC’s Sara Puglisi got the next three batters out to end the game. Puglisi picked up the complete game win while Laura Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) (2-3) took the loss. Trimble and Brown each had two hits for the Devils.

In the nightcap, AIC jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of a grand slam home run by Katelyn Elie. USP battled back with a pair of runs in the first and two more in the second to tie the game at 4-4. In the first, Lavooy singled and moved to third on Trimble’s one-out single. Snavely followed with a single to score Lavooy and Sarina’s sister Samantha was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ebersole hit a grounder to the right side of the infield allowing Trimble to score to make the score 4-2.

One inning later, the Devils added two more runs. Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) reached on an error and Sarina Lavooy beat out a bunt single. Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) followed with a single to score Bossert and Trimble singled to score Lavooy and tie the game at 4-4.

The Yellow Jackets broke the tie in the top of the third with four runs and added two more in the fourth for a 10-4 lead, including DeMontier’s second home run of the day. The Devils got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Snavely had her second hit of the game and later scored on Ebersole’s groundout. Two USP errors in the fifth led to another AIC run to make the score 11-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Shannon Roth (Jr., Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) led off the bottom of the fifth with a pinch-hit bad hop double to right centerfield. Sarina Lavooy added her fourth hit of the day, a one-out single to move Roth to third. Abbate flied out to centerfield, scoring Roth and Lavooy later advanced on a wild pitch. Trimble followed with her third single of the game to score Lavooy and make the score 11-7.

USP had one last chance in the sixth when Ebersole led off the inning with a double. However just like in the first game, AIC got the next three batters out to end the game. Sarina Lavooy went 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Trimble went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Snavely went 2-4 with an RBI.

The Devils will face Chestnut Hill College in their next contest on Friday, March 16, 2007.

Devils Swept by Dragons (3/12/07)

In their first games since returning from their spring break trip to Florida, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team took on nearby Drexel University in a doubleheader at Drexel Field this afternoon. The Dragons swept both games, defeating the Devils, 6-1 in the opener and 9-0 in the nightcap.

The Devils fall to 3-7 with the losses. Drexel improved to 4-3 on the season with the two wins.

The Dragons got a two run-home run in the first inning against Erin Degnan (Fr., Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Doylestown, Pa.), erasing a 1-0 USP lead. Drexel’s Lisa Williams and Molly Dacey also homered for the Dragons with Williams blasting a two-run shot in the fifth and Dacey a solo hit in the sixth. USP manufactured their lone run in the first as Sarina Lavooy (Sr., Vernon Township HS/Sussex, N.J.) and Annie Abbate (Fr., St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) drew walks to start the game. Shannon Roth (Jr., Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) sacrificed the runners into scoring position and Lavooy later scored on a wild pitch to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead. The Devils managed just four singles during the game with Bethanne Bossert (Fr., St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) getting two of them. Breanna Gomez got the win for Drexel while Degnan suffered the loss.

In the nightcap, the Dragons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back en route to the 9-0 win. Kristin Beaver’s three-run home run in the sixth invoked the mercy rule and sent the Devils home early. USP also had only four singles in the nightcap. Megan Trimble (Sr., Coatesville Area HS/Coatesville, Pa.) got two of them, going 2-for-2 with a walk in the game. Rachel Morgan (Fr., Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss for the Devils.

USP will face American International College on Tuesday, March 12, 2007. The doubleheader will be played at Holy Family University and will start at 3:30 p.m.

Lavooy, Flint Named to CACC Softball Honor Roll (3/12/07)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball players Samantha Lavooy and Laura Flint were named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women’s Softball Weekly Honor Roll for their performances for the week ending March 11, 2007.

On the Devils’ spring break trip to Florida last week, Lavooy (Vernon Twp. HS/Sussex, N.J.) played in six of the Devils eight games, starting five. The senior designated hitter hit safely in five of the six games, producing a .400 batting average. Samantha drove in three runs in the Devils 7-2 win against Quincy University with a pair of hits, including a two-run home run in the first inning. Lavooy finished the week with six hits in 15 at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring four times.

Flint (Sr., Interlake HS/Duvall, Wash.) started four of the Devils’ eight games in Florida earning wins against Assumption College and Quincy University. In eight innings against Assumption, Flint gave up just six hits and allowed just one earned run while striking out nine. Two days later against Quincy, Laura scattered just five hits and allowed two unearned runs while striking out five. For the week, Flint finished with a 2-2 record, a 2.89 earned run average while striking out 19 batters in 26 2/3 innings pitched.

Both Flint and Lavooy are in their fourth and final season of play for the Devils. Flint is a biology major and is minoring in biochemistry and forensic sciences. Lavooy is a physical therapy major with a psychology minor. Lavooy entered the 2007 campaign as one of just four players to record 100 hits in their career at USP. Flint entered the 2007 season having appeared in 60 total games for the Devils and is their all-time strikeout leader with 186.