MidValleySports.Com

La Salle's Victoria Baltazar slides into second base. (Photo Anne Cypress)

(West Covina) – In the midst of losing six of seven games, La Salle came in looking for a break to start a different streak.

Instead, the Lancers dropped their second straight Del Rey League contest to St. Paul 5-2.

Aubrey Formano’s one-out homer to left with Alex Abeyta helped the Swordsmen take a 4-2 lead after La Salle tied the game in its own half of the fourth inning.

The Lancers will look back at missed opportunities in the first and third innings when the game was tied at zero.

In the first inning, La Salle had runners at first and second with two outs only to end the inning with a ground ball.

The third inning saw Karlie Buller draw a walk and Sterling Shuster single. Buller was thrown out at third by Erica Lespron and Shuster advanced to second on the throw. The Lancers were unable to advance Shuster any farther.

Those two innings turned out monumental for a team which hasn’t seen breaks go its way as St. Paul benefitted from a hit by pitch to Breanna West. With West on first base, and two outs, Jasmin Dresser hit a 1-1 pitch to right into the gap. West easily came home to score and Dresser attempted to stretch a triple into an inside-the-park homer but the relay throw from Victoria Baltazar was a perfect strike and a rundown ensued.

During the rundown the Lancers committed an error and Dresser scored to give St. Paul the early 2-0 lead.

La Salle battled back in the fourth when Stephanie Ferri was hit by a pitch and Madison Worley worked her way on with a walk to give the Lancers first and second and with one out.

With two outs Katie Smither doubled to score Ferri and Worley to tie the game.

The final three innings were pitched by Natalie Madrigal who shut down the La Salle to give the Swordsmen the win.

Rachel Albright limited St. Paul to just four hits in the loss. (Photo Anne Cypress)