University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
   Women's Softball 

Stories & Highlights
2007-08 season

Playoff Run Ends with Loss to Chargers (5/2/08)

A three run second inning provided all the offense Dominican College needed as they eliminated the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference playoffs with a 3-1 win on Friday in Caldwell, New Jersey.

The loss drops USP’s record to 16-23. Dominican improves to 30-23.

Sophomore pitcher Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/ Clackamas, Ore.) took the loss to finish the season with a 12-8 record. Morgan recorded her 200th career strikeout in the fourth inning and finished the game with five to bring her career total to 202. Rachel is only the second USP pitcher to reach the 200-strikeout plateau in their career and trails only Laura Flint (256) on the school’s all-time list. Morgan’s performance in the tournament earned her a spot on the CACC All-Tournament Team.

USP managed just three hits against DC starter and winner Danielle Garrison. Freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) had one of them, bringing her season total to 46 and tying the USP single season record, set last year by Sarina Lavooy.

Phillips led off the game with a triple to right centerfield and scored on a wild pitch to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead.

The Chargers truck in the second with Garrison helping her own cause with an RBI single to tie the game and Kristine Knuth doubling home two more to give the Chargers a 3-1 lead and the eventual victory.

Trailing 3-1, the Devils managed just one more hit the rest of the way, a double by sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) in the third inning. The Chargers had just three more hits to finish the game with six. Garrison earned the win for DC, striking out two and walking one in seven innings of work.

Dominican went on to play Holy Family University in the next game as was eliminated from the competition with a 3-1 loss to the Tigers. Host Caldwell College captured the title on Saturday with an 11-4 win over defending champion Georgian Court University.

USP Wins First Ever CACC Playoff Contest (5/1/08)

Rachel Morgan struck out ten and Carolynn Snavely singled in the winning run as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia opened the 2008 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference women’s softball playoffs with an eight-inning 3-2 win over Dominican College Thursday at Caldwell Field in Caldwell, New Jersey.

The win was the Devils first ever CACC playoff victory, having gone 0-2 in their only other CACC post-season appearance back in 2001. USP’s record improves to 16-21, tying the school record for most wins in a season set back in 1991. Dominican falls to 28-23.

Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.), a sophomore, pitched all eight innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out 10 and walking one to earn her 12th victory of the season. Snavely (Prescott HS/Prescott, Ariz.), a senior first baseman, had a double to go along with her game-winning RBI single. Sophomore catcher Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) , drove in the Devils other two runs with a home run and a double.

The Chargers struck first, taking a 1-0 lead as Cara Piasecki, the CACC’s home run leader, blasted her 11th home run of the season just barely inside the foul pole in left field in the bottom of the fourth inning. USP tied the game up in their next at-bat as Crotti crushed a pitch from DC’s Danielle Garrison and sent the ball over the left centerfield fence to even the score at 1-1.

The score remained tied until the top of the seventh. Snavely led off with a double down the left field line. Junior Ashley Tobin (Warwick HS/Lititz, Pa.) came in to run for Snavely and scored as Crotti laced a double down the right field line to give the Devils a 2-1 lead.

DC came right back in the bottom of the inning, as Nicole Scarillo doubled to lead off the inning and Christine Stathes delivered a one-out single to plate Scarillo and tie the game at 2-2. The Chargers then proceeded to load the bases before Morgan pitched out of the jam by striking out Kristine Knuth for the third time in the game and getting Jackie Terpstra to pop out to the catcher Crotti in foul territory to end the threat and send the game into extra innings.

In the eighth, junior third baseman Laura Hamilton (Cardinal O’Hara HS/Havertown, Pa.) led off the inning by reaching base on an infield error and advancing to second on a sacrifice hit. Sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) was hit by a pitch, allowing Snavely to bat. USP’s clean-up hitter then stroked a perfectly place single down the rightfield line to score Hamilton and give USP a 3-2 lead.

Dominican threatened with two out in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on first and second to bring Stathes, who had delivered the tying run one inning earlier, to the plate. This time Morgan got the better of her, as she became the 10th strikeout victim of the USP hurler, ending the game and giving the Devils the win.

With the win, the Devils advanced to take on host Caldwell College. Cougar pitcher Britany Pulido held the Devils in check, allowing just three hits as the host team prevailed 7-0 to continue play in the winners bracket and dropping the Devils into the losers bracket.

The Cougars were led at the plate by senior left fielder Alyssa Speno, who homered and went 2-for-2 with a run and three runs batted in. All-CACC 3B Nicole Bodrog went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

The loss dropped the Devils record to 16-22.

Devils Split with Chargers; Inch Closer to Playoffs (4/26/08)

Annie Abbate scored the winning run and Rachel Morgan earned her 11th win of the season as the University of the Sciences women's softball team crept closer to a post season berth with a 3-2 ten-inning win over Dominican College in the first game of Saturday's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

USP did lose the nightcap 7-1 to gain a split and finish the regular season with a 12-12 conference record, the most wins a USP team has ever had in conference play since joining the CACC in 1999. Playoff wise, the Devils got some help from Chestnut Hill College and Post University who knocked Bloomfield College and Philadelphia University respectively out of the playoffs with doubleheader sweeps. Felician College remains the only team who can catch the Devils as they have a 9-12 record with three makeup games remaining, including one with top seed and nationally ranked Georgian Court University. Felician will earn the final playoff spot if they win all three games as they will hold the tiebreaker over the Devils.

Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) pitched all ten innings to earn her team leading 11th victory of the season, the most by a USP player since 1995 (Joelle Mascuilli-16). Morgan allowed just seven hits, walked one and struck out seven with the only blemish a two-run home run by DC's Cara Piasecki in the sixth inning.

Abbate (St. John Villa HS/Brooklyn, N.Y.) was placed on second according to softball's international tiebreaker rule to start the 10th inning. Junior third baseman Brittany Ebersole (Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) led off by sacrificing Abbate to third. Two batters later, freshman centerfielder Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) hit a hard grounder to Piasecki at shortstop whose throw was high as the speedy Phillips crossed the bag safely and Abbate raced home with the winning run.

The Devils tying run to send the game into extra innings was equally dramatic. Sophomore second baseman Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) was hit on the hand by a pitch to start the inning. Senior first baseman Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/Prescott, Ariz.) then laid down a bunt that hugged the third base line for an infield hit. Sophomore catcher Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) also bunted, this time in-between the pitcher and third baseman and reached safely to load the bases. Two batters later, sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) lofted a pop fly to DC's second baseman Jessica Martinieri who let the ball drop in an effort to get a double play. The infield fly rule was invoked however as Brown was out. All three runners took off as the ball was dropped and Martinieri's throw made it to the plate but Tu was never tagged as the play became a tag play after the infield fly call and the Devils had tied the game at 2-2.

Piasecki's long two run home run an inning earlier had put the Chargers on top 2-1, erasing a 1-0 USP lead. The Devils got the 1-0 lead courtesy of two Dominican errors in the bottom of the fifth, allowing junior rightfielder Ashlee Trupp (Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.), who had singled to start the inning to score from third base as the throw got away from Charger catcher Nicole Scarillo.

It was a different story in the nightcap as errors got the best of the Devils. The game was a scoreless pitcher's duel between DC's Danielle Garrison (the losing pitcher in game 1) and USP's sophomore Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/Doylestown, Pa.). In the fifth inning, the Devils defense went south, committing two errors which led to four Charger runs (two of which were unearned), a 4-0 lead for the visitors and a USP pitching change. The Chargers added three more runs off four hits in the seventh to take a 7-0 lead as the Devils headed into their final at-bat.

Brown singled with two outs in the inning, extending her hitting streak to nine games. Abbate moved Brown to third with a single to right field and Phillips brought her home with a single before Garrison got the third out and give the Chargers a 7-1 win.

The Devils next game will be if they qualify for playoffs. The first playoff game will take place at noon on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at Caldwell College and the opponent will be the same Dominican team USP faced this past Saturday.

Devils Take Two From Rams (4/24/08)
Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Make it four straight wins for the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's softball team as they pounded out a total of 32 hits in their two game sweep at Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference rival Philadelphia University Thursday afternoon, 10-2 and 7-5.

The two wins improve the Devils record to 14-20 overall and 11-11 in CACC games. The Lady Rams drop to 14-26 overall and 10-12 in league play. The Devils are in a three-way battle with Philadelphia University and Bloomfield College (10-10) for the sixth and final spot in the upcoming CACC playoffs with one doubleheader remaining. The sweep also gave the Devils the most conference wins (11) by a USP team since joining the CACC in 1999.

Sophomore pitcher Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) threw a complete game in the opener, striking out ten while giving up just four hits and two runs. Freshman centerfielder Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) and sophomore second baseman Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) had three hits apiece to pace the Devils 18-hit game one attack. All nine batters for the Devils had at least one hit in the game. Senior Designated player Shannon Roth (Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) , junior third baseman Brittany Ebersole (Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.), Phillips and Tu each drove in a pair of runs.

Senior first baseman Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) drove home Phillips for the first USP run in the opening frame and added another on an outfield error in the second to lead 2-0. Janine Becker's RBI single in the bottom of the second cut the lead in half 2-1 before the Devils scored twice in the third to lead by three 4-1. Roth delivered the scoring blow with an RBI single to score Snavely and sophomore catcher Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.).

The Devils added two more runs in the fourth and fifth innings before the Rams got on the board again in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-2. USP then exploded for four runs in their final at-bat to put the game away. Crotti doubled to start the inning and Ebersole delivered a one-out single send her home with the seventh USP run. Sophomore outfielder Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) then lined a single to load the bases for Phillips who doubled to score two more runs. Tu then singled home Abbate with the final run.

In the nightcap, the Rams jumped on freshman pitcher Gina Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) for three runs in the first inning to take a 3-1 lead before the Devils took the lead back in the next at-bat en route to the 7-5 win. Sophomore pitcher Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/ Doylestown, Pa.) earned the win to improve to 3-7 on the season. Morgan came in during the seventh inning and closed the door on the Rams to pick up the save. Degnan allowed four hits, two runs and struck out four.

Junior right fielder Ashlee Trupp (Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) went 3-for-3 with two runs scored while four other USP players had two hits apiece (Phillips, Snavely, Crotti and sophomore shortstop Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.)) to pace USP's 14-hit effort. Brown's two hits coupled with one in the first game, extended her hitting streak to seven games, equaling the best streak on the team this season. Tu and Crotti each drove in two runs.

After an RBI single by Snavely put the Devils on the board in the first, USP couldn't seem to make a play in the bottom half of the inning, committing three errors and giving up three unearned runs to trail 3-1.

In USP's next at-bat Brown led off with a single and was sacrificed to second. Senior designated player Danielle Czajka (Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) singled to move Brown to third and Trupp added an infield single to load the bases. Phillips singled to score Brown and sophomore left fielder Bethanne Bossert (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) drew a bases loaded walk to score Czajka with the tying run. Tu then reached on a throwing error by Rams pitcher Randi Wozniak as Trupp scored the go-ahead run. Phillips was thrown out trying to score on the play and Snavely grounded out to end the inning.

The scored remained 4-3 as Degnan took control on the mound, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters, allowing only a walk (in third inning) after a single by Kelly McGrath to lead off the second. USP added three more runs in the top half of the sixth to take a 7-3 lead, taking advantage of two errors by Ram shortstop Maggie Desmond. Crotti also delivered a one-out single to score the final two runs.

The Rams threatened in the sixth and seventh innings. Giamatteo doubled to leadoff the sixth and later scored on a single by Kelly Rauco. Rauco later scored on a wild pitch to pull the Rams within two, 7-5. In the seventh the Rams put the tying runs on base with nobody out, prompting a pitching change. Morgan entered the game and got Jacque Curtis to fly out to short centerfield for the first out. Desmond was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Morgan struck out Giamatteo and got Rauco to pop out to Brown at shortstop to end the game.

USP will close out the regular season on Saturday, April 25, 2008 when they host Dominican College in a CACC doubleheader starting at noon.

Devils Defeat Tigers Twice in a Pair of Extra Inning Contests (4/22/08)

Second baseman Samantha Tu’s home run highlighted a four-run eighth inning as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team rallied to defeat Holy Family University 7-3 in the second game of Tuesday afternoon’s doubleheader, completing a two game sweep of the Tigers.

USP won the first game 1-0 in an eight inning pitching dual. The Devils improve to 12-20 overall and 9-11 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Holy Family falls to 16-16 overall and 13-5 in league games. The wins were only USP’s third and fourth against the Tigers in their last 23 meetings going back to 1998.

The opener was a pitching dual between two of the premier pitchers in the CACC; Holy Family’s Jody Searfoss and USP’s Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.). Morgan struck out nine while giving up just three hits and walking one to earn here third shutout of the season. Searfoss also turned in impressive numbers, striking out 10 while giving up just four hits and walk in a losing effort.

Junior Ashlee Trupp (Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) drove in the Devils lone run singling home sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) to give USP a 1-0 lead. Brown had singled, advanced to second on an error and later to third on the back end of a failed double steal attempt. Brown had two of the Devils four hits in the game.

In game two, the Devils broke a three-all tie with four runs in the eighth inning. Brown singled to start the inning and sophomore Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/ Brooklyn, N.Y.) walked to put two runners on. They were bunted to second and third by freshman center fielder Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.). During the next at-bat, Brown, the runner at third, scored on a wild pitch with Abbate advancing to second. Sophomore left fielder Bethanne Bossert (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) drove home Abbate with a single into left field. Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.), USP’s second baseman, finished off the rally with a two-run home run to left field, her first of the season and the first of her college career.

The Tigers took a 3-1 lead in fourth inning on a two-run single by first baseman Kim Hockenbrock before the Devils tied the game at 3-3 with two runs in the sixth. Sophomore catcher Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) and junior third baseman Ashley Tobin (Warwick HS/Lititz, Pa.) singled to start the inning. Crotti came around to score as the next batter, freshman Erika Schweitzer (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) reached on a throwing error by Searfoss, who had just entered the game in relief of Rebecca Costa. The Tigers second error of the inning plated Tobin with the tying run before Searfoss pitched out of the jam.

Crotti (three) and Phillips (two) each had multi-hit games for the Devils.

Morgan picked up the win in a relief effort to improve to 9-7 on the season. She threw two and two-thirds innings of hitless softball. Searfoss (9-6) suffered the loss. She allowed three runs on three hits in two and one-third innings. Morgan struck out a total of 10 batters in the two games to up her USP season record strikeout total to 106.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, April 24, 2008 when they travel to take on area rival Philadelphia University.

Devils Take Two from Griffins (4/16/08)

Erin Degnan allowed just three hits in the nightcap while Rachel Morgan struck out seven in the opener as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team swept Wednesday afternoon’s doubleheader at Chestnut Hill College, 3-1 and 7-2.

The sweep, USP’s first since their conference-opening sweep of Post, improves their record to 10-18 overall and 8-10 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. The Griffins fall to 9-28 overall and 4-14 in league play.

In earning her second win of the season, Degnan pitched six innings, allowing just three singles while giving up two runs and striking out three as the Devils prevailed 7-2 in the nightcap. Eight different USP players recorded hits with sophomores Bethanne Bossert (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) and Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) getting two apiece.

Shannon Burdziak (3-10) took the loss for Chestnut Hill.

The Devils jumped on Burdziak in the opening inning, scoring four times to take an early 4-0 lead. Freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.), led off the game with a single and promptly stole second. Bossert’s bunt single moved Phillips to third and Bossert proceeded to move into scoring position with a steal of second. Phillips then scored on senior Carolynn Snavely ‘s (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) groundout. Sophomore Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Bossert. Singles by Erika Schweitzer (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) and junior Laura Hamilton (Cardinal O’Hara HS/Havertown, Pa.) followed with both advancing on a wild pitch. Sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) then delivered a two-out double to clear the bases and make the score 4-0.

Chestnut Hill scored their first run in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch to make the score 4-1. USP added two more in the fourth, getting an RBI single from Bossert to score senior Danielle Czajka (Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) who had singled earlier in the inning. A throwing error on the play allowed Bossert to move to second an Abbate to score USP’s sixth run.

The Griffins made the score 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth as Julie Treen scored on Ashley Corcoran’s sacrifice fly. USP then scored their final run in the seventh as junior Ashley Tobin (Warwick HS/Lititz, Pa.) singled up the middle to score Crotti from second and make the score 7-2. Gina Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh, allowing just one hit as the Devils completed the sweep.

Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) pitched a complete game in the opener, allowing six hits and one run while striking out seven to improve to 7-6 on the season as the Devils took the opener 3-1.

Sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) had two of the Devils five hits. Tu, Bossert and Crotti each drove in a run. Jessica Day and Amanda Corcoran each had two hits for the Griffins. Katlin McKeever took the loss (6-14).

The game was scoreless until the fourth when Tu doubled to lead off the inning and later came around to score on Crotti’s single. Morgan was perfect through the first three innings and retired the first two batters in the fourth before Day hit one over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1.

The next inning, the Devils retook the lead as Tu delivered a two-out single to score Phillips with the go-ahead run. USP added an insurance run in the seventh on Bossert’s sacrifice fly. The Griffins threatened in their final at-bat with two singles and loaded the bases on Morgan’s fielding error with two out. Morgan then got Day to pop out to Brown at shortstop to end the game.

USP returns to action on Saturday, April 19, 2008 when they host Bloomfield College in a CACC doubleheader at McNeil field. First pitch is set for noon.

Devils Split with Warriors (4/12/03)

Rachel Morgan struck out ten batters and pitched a one-hitter as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team defeated Nyack College 5-1 in the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Hilltop field in Nyack, New York.

The Warriors rallied to win the second game, 8-7, giving the Devils a split of the two game set. USP improves to 8-16 overall with the split and 5-7 in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games. Nyack runs its record to 5-19 overall and 1-11 in league play.

The sophomore Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) turned in one of her best outings of the season, facing just three batters above the minimum, walking none, hitting one and giving up just a lone RBI single to Danielle Palantchar in the second inning. Rachel retired the last 16 batters she faced, recording nine of her ten strikeouts in the process of shutting down the Warriors.

Lauren Merkley took the loss for Nyack.

That second inning RBI single by Palantchar gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning when the Devils tied the game at 1-1. Senior Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.), who recently became just the sixth USP softball player in school history to record 100 career hits, led off the inning with her 24th career double, becoming the Devils’ all-time leader in the process. Two batters later, Snavely crossed the plate with the tying run courtesy of sophomore Brittany Brown’s (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) sacrifice bunt.

USP struck for three more runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Senior Danielle Czajka (Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by sophomore Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.). Czajka later stole third and scored on a passed ball. Freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.), who had walked just after Czajka’s steal of third, stole second and moved to third on sophomore Bethanne Bossert’s (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) single. Senior Shannon Roth (Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) then singled to score Phillips and Snavely’s infield groundout scored Bossert.

The Devils took advantage of two Nyack errors in the seventh as Roth scored the final USP run.

In the nightcap, Nyack struck for four runs in the first inning before the Devils rallied for leads of 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6. The Warriors then scored twice in their final at-bat two pull out an 8-7 win, their first CACC victory of the season.

Melanie Susen’s three-run home run chased USP starter freshman Gina Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) out of the game in the first inning and brought Morgan back to the mound. Morgan gave up two more hits in the inning and the Warriors had a 4-0 lead.

The Devils came right back and tied the score at 4-4 in their next at-bat. Phillips delivered a two-out RBI single with the bases loaded and Bossert followed that with an RBI single of her own. Sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) then doubled home two more runs to tie the game at 4-4.

The Devils took a 5-4 lead in the third on Brown’s RBIs single and a 6-5 lead in the fifth on junior Laura Hamilton (Cardinal O’Hara HS/Havertown, Pa.) sacrifice fly. USP took their last lead, 7-6 in the seventh when freshman Erika Schweitzer (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) doubled and came around to score on Hamilton’s single.

Nyack proceeded to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh with two out with the help on a USP infield error. Lynnae Thompson then singled to score two runs and give the Warriors the win.

Tu and Brown each had three hits, while Hamilton and Tu drove in two runs apiece. Susen drove in four runs for the Warriors on two home runs. Thompson and Palantchar drove two apiece. Sarah Bolles picked up the win for Nyack. Morgan took the loss, falling to 6-5 on the season.

The Devils return to action on Sunday, April 13, 2008 when they host first-place Georgian Court University at McNeil Field.

Devils Split a Pair with Pioneers (4/9/08)

Carolynn Snavely and Mia Crotti hit back-to-back home runs as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team defeated Columbia Union College 5-2 in the nightcap of Wednesday’s doubleheader at CUC Stadium in Takoma Park, Maryland.

The win salvaged a split of the two games between the Devils and the Pioneers as Columbia Union thwarted a late inning rally by USP and hung on to win the opener 5-4. The Devils improve to 7-15 overall with the split. Columbia Union falls to 6-18.

Sophomore Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) picked up the win to improve to 5-4 overall. Morgan gave up just two hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched while striking out seven. Stephanie Chapman took the loss for Columbia Union.

USP’s back-to-back home runs were part of a four run first inning by the Devils. Freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) led off the game with a bunt single and was sacrificed over by junior Ashley Tobin (Warwick HS/Lititz, Pa.). The speedy Phillips was running all the way and reached third before scoring on an infield error to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead. Senior Shannon Roth (Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) reached first on an outfield error to bring up Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.), who launched her third home run of the season. Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) followed with her third home run of the season and second of the night to make the score 4-0.

The Pioneers got two runs back in the fourth off sophomore Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/Doylestown, Pa.), scoring once on a USP error and later on an RBI single by Betty Luedkte. USP scored their final run in the fifth inning when Tobin singled home Phillips to make the score 5-2. Columbia Union put runners on second and third with one out in the fifth forcing Morgan to re-enter the game. Morgan retired the next two batters and pitched a perfect sixth and seventh inning to preserve the win.

Phillips finished the game with three hits and a stolen base. Snavely had two RBI while Tobin and Crotti each had one.

In the opener, the Pioneers banged out four straight hits to start the first inning and added another as the inning progressed to jump out to a 3-0 lead en route to a 5-4 win over the Devils.

Trailing 3-0, the Devils got one run back right away in the second as Crotti led off the inning with a home run. Sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) followed with a one out double and senior Danielle Czajka (Garnet Valley HS/Glen Mills, Pa.) singled to put runners on the corners. Sophomore Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) drew a walk to load the bases. Phillips followed with walk to score Brown and make the score 3-2.

Columbia Union got an RBI double from Christina Smith and a sacrifice fly from Chapman to increase their lead back to three 5-2 in the bottom of the third. Abbate singled home Brown in the fourth to make the score 5-3 where it would remain until the seventh inning when the Devils made one last rally.

Roth singled to start the inning and was replaced on the base paths by Tobin. Crotti then delivered a one-out single to centerfield and the two base runners later stole second and third. Two batters later Tobin scored on a passed ball leaving Crotti as the tying run on third with two out. Brown then popped out to end the game.

Freshman Gina Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) took the loss to fall to 1-5 on the season. Murray gave up five runs in four innings of work. Czajka went 3-for-3 and Crotti had two hits including the leadoff home run in the second to account for half of the Devils 10 hits in the game.

Chapman earned the win for the Pioneers.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, April 12, 2008 when they travel to Nyack College for another Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader.

Crotti’s Home Run gives Devils a Split with Felician (3/29/08)

Mia Crotti’s three-run home run in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader with Felician College was all the offense the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team needed as they defeated host Felician College 3-2 to gain a split of the two games played at Kennedy Park in Lodi, New Jersey.

USP had lost the first game by the same 3-2 score. The split improves the Devils record to 6-10 overall and 4-2 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Felician falls to 5-10 overall and 1-3 in league play.

The sophomore Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) had two of the Devils five hits in the nightcap while driving in all three runs. Sophomore Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) earned her fourth win of the season, giving up just five hits, two runs (1 earned) while striking out three.

Dara DeSocio (1-4) took the loss for the Golden Falcons. DeSocio also hit a solo home run. Rebecca Dodd drove in the other Felician run.

It was Dodd’s sacrifice fly in the first that gave the Golden Falcons a 1-0 lead. Morgan then held Felician to one hit (later erased on a double play) for the next three innings. In the Devils half of the fifth, sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) reached on an error and moved to third on freshman Dayna Phillips’ (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) double to right field. Two batters later, Crotti delivered a three-run home run, her first of the season to give the Devils a 3-1 lead.

Felician got the run back in the bottom of the fifth on DeSocio’s home run with one out. Two more singles followed but Morgan struck out Amber Doran and got Jenna Krowl to pop out to shortstop Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) to end the threat. The Golden Falcons had one hit in the sixth and Morgan retired the side in order in the seventh to end the game and up her record to 4-2 on the season.

In the opener, a late-inning USP rally fell short as Felician hung on to win 3-2. Sophomore Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/Doylestown, Pa.) took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out three. Sherry Flynn earned the win for the Golden Falcons, upping her record to 3-2. DeSocio pitched the seventh inning to record the save.

Felician jumped on the board first with a solo run in the second. Nicole Degenardt doubled and later scored on an infield groundout. A sacrifice fly by Doran scored Heather Van Dyke with the second Felician run in the third and Krowl made the score 3-0 in the fifth with an RBI on a fielder’s choice.

The Devils got one back in the sixth when Phillips walked to start off the inning and later scored on senior Shannon Roth’s (Cumberland Valley HS/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) two-out double. Sophomore Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) led off the seventh with a triple and later scored on sophomore Bethanne Bossert’s (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) sacrifice fly. DeSocio then retired the next two batters to preserve the 3-2 win for the Golden Falcons.

Roth had two of the Devils five hits in the opener. Abbate (triple), Tu and Bossert (singles) had the other three.

The Devils return to action on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 when they host Goldey Beacom College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.

Devils come from Behind to Salvage Split with Wildcats (3/25/08)
Earn First Win over Wilmington Since 2001

Erika Schweitzer’s double with nobody out in the fifth inning capped a rally and scored the go-ahead runs as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team defeated Wilmington University 4-2 in the second game of Tuesday afternoon’s conference doubleheader at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The win salvaged a split between the two conference teams. The Wildcats had won the opener 4-2. The win was the Devils first against Wilmington since the 2001 season, a stretch of 13 games, including today’s opener. The Devils improve to 5-9 overall and 3-1 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Wilmington falls to 16-6 overall and 5-1 in league play.

Schweitzer’s (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) hit capped off a three-run rally, which saw the Devils take the lead 4-2 after trailing 2-1 entering the inning. Freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) started the inning by reaching on an infield error. Senior Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) followed with a line drive double to left center field that reached the fence on one hop and put runners on second and third. Sophomore Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) then drove Phillips home with the tying run with a single as Snavely moved to third, setting the stage for the freshman Schweitzer. Schweitzer belted a pitch from Kim Lawrence into the gap in left center field, easily scoring Snavely with go-ahead run. Crotti also scored from first with an insurance run. Schweitzer was tagged out trying to advance to third, but the Devils had now given starter Erin Degnan (Gwynedd Mercy Academy/Doylestown, Pa.) a chance to win her first game of the season.

Degnan, a sophomore, retired the Wildcats in order in the sixth and faced the bottom of the order in the seventh. After Jaime Hurlock reached on an error, Degnan induced ground balls to the next two batters as Cari Lindstrom, now running for Hurlock advanced to third. A walk to Lindsey Frye put the tying run on bard with two outs. Frye later advanced to second without a throw before Heather Bush popped up to second baseman Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) to end the game.

Wilmington’s Lindsey Watson homered to lead off the game and the Wildcats added another run in the second before the Devils got one back in the bottom of the second when sophomore Annie Abbate (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) singled home sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) with one out, making the score 2-1.

Abbate and Crotti finished the game with two hits and an RBI apiece while Schweitzer had the other two RBI with her game-winning double. Degnan, who improved to 1-3 with the win, allowed just five hits, walked two and struck out one. Kim Lawrence (7-4) took the loss for Wilmington

In the opener, the Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, sending seven batters to the plate and taking advantage of two Wildcat errors. The Wildcats got one back in the second on a solo home run by Nicole Hays. Kristin Tomlinson’s two-run home run in the fifth put the Wildcats ahead 3-2. Kelly Schirmer then drove in Watson with an insurance run to make the score 4-2, which proved to be the final score.

Katie Turner got the win for the Wildcats, limiting the Devils to two hits while striking out eight and improving to 9-2 on the season. Freshman Gina Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) took the loss for USP, falling to 1-4. Phillips had both USP hits.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, March 27, 2008 when they host Columbia Union College in a non-conference doubleheader at McNeil Field. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.

Devils Sweep Conference Opener (3/22/08)

Rachel Morgan pitched a three-hit shutout and Gina Murray earned her first collegiate win as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s softball team opened the conference portion of their 2008 season with a doubleheader sweep, 4-0 and 5-4 over Post University Saturday at McNeil Field in Philadelphia.

The sweep improves the Devils record to 4-8 overall and 2-0 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Post falls to 8-6 overall and 0-2 in league play. The wins also mark the first time since the 2000 season that the Devils have swept their opening conference doubleheader.

Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.), a sophomore, gave up just three hits while striking out a career-high 11 batters to earn her second shutout of the season and improve her record to 3-2. The Devils got two hits apiece from sophomores Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.), and Bethanne Bossert (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.), junior Laura Hamilton (Cardinal O’Hara HS/Havertown, Pa.) and freshman Dayna Phillips (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.).

Caitlin McAveney (4-3) took the loss for the Eagles. Samantha Canning had two of the Eagles three hits in the game.

Singles by Hamilton and Bossert in the second inning led to the Devils first run as Hamilton later scored on an infield error. Two innings later, the Devils sent eight batters to the plate, scoring three times to open up a 4-0 lead.

Hamilton led off the inning with a single and moved to second on sophomore Annie Abbate’s (St. John Villa Academy/Brooklyn, N.Y.) single. Bossert loaded the bases with a bunt single and Tu followed with a single to center to score Hamilton. Phillips followed with a single up the middle to score Abbate. Two batters later, senior Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) drove in the fourth USP run on a fielder’s choice.

Staked to a 4-0 lead, Morgan allowed just one hit the rest of the way, a sixth inning single by Emily Archer. Rachel struck out the side in the seventh inning to end the game.

In the second game, the freshman Murray (Sun Valley HS/Brookhaven, Pa.) scattered seven hits while giving up just two earned runs as the Devils hung on to win 5-4, for her first collegiate victory. Tu and Sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) each had two hits for USP.

Stephanie Carrillo (4-3) took the loss for the Eagles. Carrillo also had three of Post’s seven hits and drove in three of their four runs.

The Devils took advantage of an infield error to take an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Post responded in the top of the second as Desiree Obregon doubled and later scored on a passed ball.

The score remained tied until the Devils struck for four runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead. Freshman Erika Schweitzer (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) eked out an infield single with one out to start the USP rally. Junior Brittany Ebersole (Cumberland Valley HS/Camp Hill, Pa.) followed with a line drive to left center field that hit the top the fence for a double scoring Schweitzer. Brown also went with a long ball, hitting a shot into center field that went for a triple and then scored when the throw attempting to catch her at third went out of play. Junior Ashlee Trupp (Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) was hit by a pitch and then retired on a fielder’s choice, placing Bossert at first base. Tu then tripled for the Devils third extra-base hit of the inning, scoring Bossert and giving USP a 5-1 lead.

Stephanie Carrillo’s triple plated two runs for the Eagles in the top of the fifth, making the score 5-3. Carrillo later doubled in the seventh inning to score Vanessa Lagares with the final run for the Eagles. Post’s better hitter, Tierney Marceau then lined out to Trupp in right field to end the game.

The Devils return to action on Tuesday when they host first-place Wilmington College at McNeil field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Devils Close out Florida Trip with a Win (3/10/08)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia closed out their spring trip to Florida with a 1-0 win over Wayne State College to end their eight-game stint with a 2-6 record.

At the time of the game, Wayne State was ranked 20th in the nation in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll. The win was the Devils first win over a nationally ranked opponent since gaining active NCAA membership in the fall of 2003.

Sophomore Rachel Morgan (Clackamas HS/Clackamas, Ore.) pitched the complete game shutout, the Devils first since the 2004 season. Morgan allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out seven batters to earn her second win of the season and improve to 2-1.

The Devils got their lone run in the second inning as sophomore Bethanne Bossert (St. Hubert’s HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) drove in fellow sophomore Brittany Brown (Cherokee HS/Marlton, N.J.) with a two-out double.

Staked with a 1-0 lead, Morgan retired 12 of the next 13 batters with Wayne State's lone baserunner coming on a walk to Valerie Robinson in the fifth. The Devils had an opportunity to add some insurance runs in the fourth, loading the bases with one out and leaving them full as the inning came to a close.

After getting two quick outs in the seventh, Morgan gave up a double to Emily Walker but proceeded to strike out Robinson to end the game.

Morgan also pitched a complete game in the Devils only other win of the trip as the defeated St. Anselm College 8-5 in the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader. The former Clackamas High School athlete allowed 11 hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out four and walking one.

USP scored at least one run in each of the first four innings to take a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Erika Schweitzer's (Conrad Weiser HS/Wernersville, Pa.) two-out single in the first inning scored sophomore Mia Crotti (Valley View HS/Jessup, Pa.) to give USP an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore Samantha Tu (Bensalem HS/Trevose, Pa.) singled in junior Ashlee Trupp (Daniel Boone HS/Birdsboro, Pa.) and later came around to score on freshman Dayna Phillips' (Cumberland Regional HS/Rosenhayn, N.J.) groundout to make the score 3-0. The Devils added another run on an infield groundout in the third as Trupp drove in Brown to make the score 4-0.

St. Anselm sent seven batters to the plate in the bottom of the third, banging out four hits and scoring three times to pull within one 4-3 before the Devils got two back in the top of the fourth. Tu singled to start the inning for USP and was replaced on the base paths by Phillips on a fielders choice. Crotti followed with a triple to score Phillips and senior Carolynn Snavely (Prescott HS/ Prescott, Ariz.) brought home Crotti with a sacrifice fly give USP a 6-3 advantage.

The scored twice more in the bottom of the fourth to pull within one again, 6-5 before the Devils added two more insurance runs in the sixth on back-to-back bases loaded singles from Snavely and Schweitzer. Morgan kept the Hawks from scoring in their final two at-bats as the Devils held on for the win.

In the other games USP played in Florida, the Devils dropped two to St. Cloud State to open the trip, 6-2 and 2-0. Snavely hit a two-run home run to account for both Devils runs in USP's 7-2 loss to St. Anselm on Sunday in the opening game of the doubleheader between the two schools. USP also dropped a pair of games to New York Institute of Technology, losing 6-1 on Tuesday and 6-2 on Wednesday. Wayne State also defeated the Devils 6-1 on Tuesday.

Snavely led the Devils on the trip, batting .571 (12-21) with a home run, a double and four RBI. Phillips added eight hits on the trip while Tu had seven, including two doubles. Morgan finished the trip with a 2-1 record with 16 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings pitched and a 1.62 earned run average.

USP returns to action when the face Division I Drexel University on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at Drexel Field starting at 2:00 p.m.