Softball Earns Split at Providence in Extra-Inning Thrillers

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.pdf)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.pdf) 

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. The Seton Hall softball team (16-23, 3-9) earned a split in a pair of extra inning games at Providence on Friday, winning game one, 2-1, before falling in the nightcap, 5-4.  Both games went eight innings.

After the Pirates failed to score in the top of the first of game one despite consecutive singles by junior Leah Menichetti (Jessup, Pa.) and freshman Nalin Bennett (East Syracuse, N.Y.) to start the game, Providence went ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the frame when Mary Rose Sheehy knocked in Katelyn Revens with an RBI single of sophomore SHU hurler Ashley Forsyth (Freehold, N.J.).

The Friars would hold onto their lead until the top of the fifth inning.  Senior Ashley Constantini (Newark, Del.) led off with a walk, and the Hall had runners on first and second after Providence did not record an out on Menichetti’s fielder’s choice.  After a sacrifice bunt by Bennett, senior Jenna Best (Medford, N.J.) drew a walk to load the bases.  Junior Kealan Waldron (Oak Park, Ill.) followed with an RBI single that scored Constantini to tie the game.  Menichetti was thrown out at the plate on the play, and the inning ended a batter later with the score at 1-1.

Forsyth retired 15 straight Friars before walking Revens, who then stole second, in the bottom of the sixth.  But Providence was shut down once again as the game moved into the seventh inning.

Christy Becker doubled to start the Providence seventh and moved to third base with one out on a sacrifice bunt.  Forsyth responded in gritty fashion, getting consecutive groundouts to third base to preserve the tie and force the game into extra innings.

SHU finally took the lead in the top of the eighth inning.  Waldron singled with one out and moved to second on a groundout by freshman Michelle Reed (Wrightstown, N.J.).  Junior Shannon Pease (Binghamton, N.Y.) followed with a clutch double off Danielle Bertolette that plated Waldron, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead.  Forsyth retired Providence in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.

Forsyth (9-10) struck out two while allowing just three hits and a walk in her tenth complete game of the season.

Waldron, who went 2-for-3, tied the school record that she already co-owned by extending her hitting streak to 12 games.

After falling behind 1-0 in game two, SHU moved ahead in the top of the second when Pease launched a two-run shot off Jennifer Maccio.  In the fourth, senior Christa Leighton (Brewster, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch leading off, and Menichetti and Bennett followed with singles to load the bases.  Freshman pinch-runner Stephanie Bontales (Holmdel, N.J.) scored on a wild pitch, and Waldron followed with a sacrifice fly to score Menichetti and make it 4-1.

Senior Jessica Jones (Tyler, Texas) started and went two innings before being relieved by junior Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.) in the bottom of the third.  Providence tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Teresa Bertels hit a three-run homerun with nobody out, chasing Schweitzer and bringing in Forsyth.

Game two moved into extra innings as well, but it was the Friars who came up with the big hit this time around.  Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Becker connected on a solo shot off Forsyth to secure a split off the twinbill.

Forsyth (9-11) took the loss, allowing just the one run on two hits over four-plus innings.  Pease was 2-for-3, the only Pirate with multiple hits.  Waldron saw her hitting streak come to an end at 12 games after going 0-for-2.

Seton Hall returns to action on Sunday at Connectciut.

Scoreboard

Seton Hall University Athletics

Softball Earns Split at Providence in Extra-Inning Thrillers

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