Softball Cruises Past Iona, 8-0 & 7-1

Jenna Best

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Sophomore outfielder Jenna Best (Medford, N.J.) went 2-for-3 with two RBI in each game as the Seton Hall softball team used a balanced offense and strong pitching to sweep a doubleheader from Iona on Thursday at Ivy Hill Park. The Pirates (22-20) won game one by a score of 8-0 in six innings before taking game two by a score of 7-1. Iona falls to 7-19.

Best, senior shortstop Katie Pierce (Pittsfield, Mass.) and sophomore outfielder Ashley Constantini (Newark, Del.) all homered in game one during the Pirates’ decisive six-run sixth inning. Pierce and Best led off with back-to-back bombs that made it 4-0 Seton Hall, and Constantini crushed a three-run homer to left, the first of her career, with two outs that ended the game on the 8-run rule.

Pierce also had an RBI triple in the first inning and came home on a Best single that gave SHU a 2-0 lead. The Pirates managed just one hit over the next four innings before breaking out against Iona starter Becky Riccitelli (5.2 innings, 8 hits, 8 runs, 4 earned runs), who fell to 4-5.

Freshman righty Ashley Arnett (Saugus, Calif.) got it done in the circle for SHU, pitching six shutout innings while allowing just four hits and three walks. She struck out five to improve to 7-5 on the season.

In game two, Iona scored in the first without getting a hit off of Pirate freshman righthander Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.). The run came on a walk, stolen base, sacrifice and RBI groundout. The Pirates got the run back and more in the bottom of the first when Constantini walked and scored on a Pierce double. Best and senior Jessica Schulien (Pequannock, N.J.) followed with RBI doubles of their own and the Pirates had a 3-1 lead.

SHU scored two in the third inning, one on an RBI groundout by freshman Shannon Pease (Binghamton, N.Y.) and a walk with the bases loaded by sophomore catcher Christa Leighton (Brewster, N.Y.). Pease had an RBI single in the fifth as well and her pinch runner, freshman Amanda Winn (Manahawkin, N.J.), stole home on a delayed double steal to make it 7-1. Schweitzer got the win by pitching four solid innings, allowing just one hit and three walks to improve to 9-7.

Pierce finished the day 4-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, a homer, triple and two doubles. Schulien went a combined 3-for-4 with three doubles on the day.

Seton Hall returns to action on Saturday when the Pirates host St. John’s for a noon doubleheader at Ivy Hill Park.

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Seton Hall University Athletics

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