Softball Loses Twice At Louisville

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.pdf)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.pdf)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. The Seton Hall softball team lost a pair of games to Louisville, 8-4 and 9-1, on Friday. The defeats bring the Pirates’ record to 10-15 overall and 0-4 in BIG EAST play.

The Cardinals got off to a fast start in game one after Melissa Roth drew a lead-off walk. After a sacrifice bunt, starting pitcher Ashley Forsyth (Freehold, N.J.) intentionally walked the number three hitter, Chelsea Bemis to put runners at first and second.

Forsyth was able to retire the next batter via strikeout, but Kassie Stanfill doubled to center to put Louisville on the board. Brittany York singled to bring in Stanfill to end Forsyth’s outing just 0.2 innings in.

The Cardinals added another run when third baseman Kealan Waldron (Oak Park, Ill.) committed a throwing error to bring in Louisville’s fourth run of the inning.

Seton Hall had an answer in the bottom of the second inning after Jenna Best (Medford, N.J.) walked and Shannon Pease (Binghamton, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch. With one out, freshman Brittany Schillizzi (Paramus, N.J.) blasted her first collegiate homer to make the score, 4-3.

In the bottom of the frame, the Cardinals’ Colby Wherry doubled off Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.) to give Louisville a 6-3 edge.

Pease recorded a single to start the fourth inning, and freshman Nalin Bennett (East Syracuse, N.Y.) reached base on an error. Senior Christa Leighton (Brewster, N.Y.) delivered a single to bring in Pease, and the Pirates were able to put runners on second and third with two outs after the rightfielder misplayed the ball. However, forced Leah Menichetti (Jessup, Pa.) grounded out to pitcher Krissie Wadwell to end the threat.

Once again, the Cardinals responded tacking on two insurance runs with RBI hits by Wherry and York in the bottom of the inning and went on for the win.

Pease went 1-for-2 with two runs scored, and Forsyth (6-7) took the loss.

In game two, Seton Hall squandered an early opportunity to go ahead after Menichetti led off the game with a walk, and freshman Michelle Reed (Wrightstown, N.J.) reached on an infield single. The runners moved to second and third after a wild pitch, but Stanfill, who started on the mound for Louisville, fanned the next to batters.

The Cardinals took advantage after Katie Stilwell (Portage, Wisc.) walked the lead off batter. Louisville sacrificed the runner to second base and Bemis singled up the middle to put the Cards on the board. A passed ball later in the inning made it 2-0 after one.

Stillwell cruised through the second inning, but got into trouble after a Schillizzi error and a two-out walk. Stanfill helped her own cause with a single to drive in Bemis to tack on another run.

Best tripled to begin the fourth inning and the Pirates were able to cut the deficit to 3-1 after Pease grounded out to score Best.

However, Louisville got four runs back in the bottom of the fourth to knock out Stilwell, and added another in the fifth and sixth off Schweitzer to enforce the eight-run rule.

Reed was the only Pirate with multiple hits after going 2-for-3. Stilwell (1-1) took the loss despite only allowing two earned runs in 3.2 innings.

Seton Hall will take on USF on Sunday, March 30, for a double-header beginning at 11:00 a.m.