Softball Upsets No. 18 DePaul Twice

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.pdf)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.pdf) 

 

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. The Seton Hall softball team used a two-hit complete game shutout from sophomore Ashley Forsyth (Freehold, N.J.) to lead the Pirates (13-18, 2-6) to a 3-0 win, and complete a sweep of No. 18 DePaul. Seton Hall also topped the Blue Demons (22-12, 1-3) 5-4 in the opening game.

In game one, the Pirates allowed a lead-off home run for the third consecutive game, after Sandy Vojik took junior pitcher Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.) deep to give DePaul a quick lead. With runners on first and second and one away, Becca Heteniak singled to bring in both runs to make it 3-0 after one inning.

Junior Leah Menichetti (Jessup, Pa.) got things started for the Pirates with a single. After Lauren Frankiewicz struck out the next two batters, junior Kealan Waldron (Oak Park, Ill.) registered a base-knock to push Menichetti to second base. The next batter, junior Amanda Winn (Manahawkin, N.J.) delivered a three-run shot to erase Seton Hall’s deficit and tie the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the second freshman Brittany Schillizzi (Paramus, N.J.) doubled to the gap in right center. Junior Maggie Simkiss (Exton, Pa.) followed with another two-bagger to score Schillizzi, and give the Pirates a 4-3 advantage.

Seton Hall struck again in the fourth, when Menichetti hit a bloop single to leftfield to score senior Ashley Constantini (Newark, Del.) to add an insurance run.

After the first, Schweitzer settled in to retire 10 of the next 11 batters, but in the sixth Heteniak pulled the Blue Demons within one after a solo home run that was aided by the wind. Pinch-hitter Simone Ashkar singled up the middle to end Schweitzer’s day with one out in the inning.

Senior Jessica Jones (Tyler, Texas) came in relief to force a ground out, and then fanned pinch-hitter Annie Demas to end the threat.

Jones began the inning with another strikeout, but then hit Vojik with a pitch. After a fly out to left, Jackie Tarulli-Fisher found a hole through the left side, and Jones beaned Marcy Wilus to load the bases.

Head coach Ray Vander May went to the pen and brought in Forysth for the save opportunity. Forsyth came through, getting Heteniak to pop up to second to seal the deal.

Schweitzer (3-5) went 5.1 innings, allowed six hits and struck out three. The save was the first of the season for Forsyth. Menichetti went 2-for-4, Waldron was 2-for-3, Constantini went 2-for-3, and Schillizzi was 2-for-2 with a walk.

Menichetti reached base on an error to begin game two, and Waldron hit her fourth dinger of the year to put the Pirates on top 2-0.

With two down in the top of the second, Constantini robbed Frankiewicz of an extra base hit with an outstanding diving catch in right-center to keep DePaul without a hit.

Menichetti started another run-scoring inning in the third by drawing a walk to extend her on-base streak to 21 games. Senior Jenna Best (Medford, N.J.) also walked for Waldron, who hit an RBI single up the middle, giving Seton Hall a 3-0 edge.

Marie Thompson broke up Forsyth’s perfect game bid with a base-hit to center to start the sixth inning. Forsyth allowed one more hit in the seventh, but the Blue Demons would not get on the board.

Forsyth stuck out five batters in seven innings to improve to 7-9. Waldron was 3-for-3, and was the only player with multiple hits.

The Pirates return to action on Sunday, April 6, when they welcome Notre Dame to Ivy Hill Park for a twinbilling. First-pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.