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Errors, Offense Do in Devils as Rams Complete Sweep
The University of the Sciences softball team offensive power drain continued Monday as they managed just four hits as the Philadelphia University Rams completed their two game sweep with a 4-2 win at the Philadelphia University softball field in East Falls.
The loss drops the devils record to 7-27 overall and 5-15 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. The Rams improve to 14-17 overall and 8-10 in league play. Coupled with a doubleheader sweep by Wilmington earlier in the day, the loss mathematically eliminates the Devils from playoff contention.
Sciences offense failed to get a hit against Rams pitcher Ali Schmidt (11-9) through the first five innings, yet was still very much in the game as Devils starter Julie Shaw held the Rams to just one run through the first five frames.
Dayna Phillips finally got the Devils first hit, leading off the sixth inning. Three batters later, Erin Summers hit a long single as Phillips scored from first to tie the game at 1-1. Summers took second on the throw to the plate. Janelle Rodriguez followed with a double to score Summers but the Devils ran themselves out of the inning as she was easily thrown out at third trying to stretch an extra base out of the hit. However, the Devils now led 2-1.
The wheels came undone for the Devils in the bottom half of the sixth as a two-out error paved the way for three Rams runs and a 4-2 lead by the hosts, the big blow a bases loaded single by Katie Renner to score the go-ahead runs. The error was the Devils fifth on the afternoon. Sciences had one final opportunity in the seventh, putting the tying runs on courtesy of a leadoff double by Gabrielle Adams and a one-out walk to Courtney Spina. However Courtney Corcoran became Schmidt's 11th strikeout and Phillips had an infield pop-up to end the game. With the loss the Devils were eliminated from a possible playoff berth in the upcoming CACC playoffs.
Shaw fell to 2-11 on the season, allowing ten hits while striking out three. All four Rams runs were unearned.
The Devils return to action on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 when they host Wilmington University at McNeil Field.
