Charlotte Tops Softball Twice

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME ONE BOX SCORE (.pdf) 

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.html)

GAME TWO BOX SCORE (.pdf)

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C The Seton Hall softball team dropped a heart-breaking 3-2 decision in eight innings to Charlotte to begin day two of the First Pitch Classic. The Pirates (2-6) fell to the 49ers again by a 6-1 count later in the day.

In game one, senior Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.) (2-2) pitched her second straight quality start, allowing six hits and two earned runs in eight innings of work.

The 49ers manufactured a run in the bottom of the first after Sarah Malene started things off with a single. Malene stole second base and advanced two bases on ground outs to open up the scoring.

The score remained 1-0 until the fifth when Kendra McCall reached base on a bunt single with one out. Whitney Williams sacrificed McCall to second, who proceeded to take off for third. The Pirates recorded the out at first base but an errant throw to third allowed McCall to cross the plate.

In the top of the sixth, freshman Jeanette Ragucci (Glen Gardner, N.J.) and senior Leah Menichetti (Jessup, Pa.) drew walks to start the inning. Sophomore Michelle Reed (Wrightstown, N.J.) beat out a throw on a sac bunt attempt to load the bases with no outs. Charlotte pitcher Erin Buchan fanned the next batter, but freshman Kristen Kaelin (Parlin, N.J.) reached on a fielder’s choice pull the Pirates within 2-1. Buchan got out of the jam after a ground out to second base.

With Seton Hall down to its final three outs, senior Amanda Winn (Manahawkin, N.J.) delivered a solo-homerun to tie the score at 2-2, and Schweitzer retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

The international tie-break rule was enforced in the eighth inning, but the Pirates could not bring in the go-ahead run. In the bottom half, Williams drove in the winning run with a base-hit to leftfield.

Reed was 2-for-4 from the plate, and Ragucci was 1-for-2 with a triple.

In game two, Charlotte jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings. Emily Jeffery retired the first 12 batters she faced before issuing a walk to Winn in the fifth.

The 49ers added two runs in the fifth extending their advantage to six. Jeffery took a no-hitter into the seventh, but Menichetti broke up the bid with a single to start the inning.

Junior Ashley Forsyth (Freehold, N.J.) took the loss and drops to 0-4 on the year.

The Pirates will play in the consolation game against St. Francis at the First Pitch Classic tomorrow, February 22, at 11:30 a.m.