Softball Drops a Pair on Final Day of Miken Classic

SHU vs. MICHIGAN STATE BOX SCORE (.html)
SHU vs. MICHIGAN STATE BOX SCORE (.pdf)

SHU vs. FAU BOX SCORE (.html)
SHU vs. FAU BOX SCORE (.pdf)

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Seton Hall softball team lost to Michigan State, 15-5, and to FAU, 11-3, in five innings to wrap up play at the Miken Classic on Sunday. The Pirates (5-9) will look to snap their four-game skid at Towson on Wednesday.

After falling behind, 3-0, in the top of the first, SHU rallied to score five runs in the bottom half of the inning that was interrupted by a 35-minute rain delay. With the bases loaded, sophomore Kirby Groves (Yardley, Pa.) hit a double that went off the glove of the Spartans' first baseman and trickled down the rightfield line to make it a one-run game.

Senior Nalin Bennett (East Syracuse, N.Y.) legged out an infield single to bring in the tying run before the rain halted the game. After the break, Jamie Gates (Emmaus, Pa.) and Stephanie Bontales (Holmdel, N.J.) drew back-to-back walks to put the Pirates on top, 4-3. Junior Marissa Muoio (Cedar Grove, N.J.) followed with a single through the right side of the infield to extend the cushion to 5-3.

Michigan State answered by putting four runs on the board in the top of the second off of starting pitcher Hannah Hill (Fryeburg, Maine), who had worked in all four of the Hall's games in the tournament to that point. A Lauren Hansen three-run homer in the third put the game out of reach.

Muoio went 3-for-4 on the day for her first multi-hit game of her career. The RBI was also a career first for the catcher. Hansen and Brett Williams each drove in four runs for the Spartans.

Hill suffered the loss (1-6). She allowed 11 earned runs on 14 hits in seven innings. Rebecca Rogers earned the win (1-0) after tossing 6.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Against the Owls, starting pitcher Brooke Tull (Greenwood, Del.) allowed seven runs in the first inning, but Seton Hall did not go quietly.

Groves came up with the bases loaded in the top of the third and delivered an RBI single through the middle to break up the shutout. Gates followed with a sacrifice fly to make it, 7-2, and an FAU error brought in the third Pirate run.

However, the Owls put a run on the board in the bottom half of the third and added two more in the fourth. With a runner on first base in the fifth, Cari Curfman hit a ball to the wall in right center field to give FAU an eight-run lead and end the ballgame.

Tull took the loss (1-2) after throwing 4.1 innings and surrendering 11 runs on 14 hits. Taylor Fawbush improved to 4-4 and allowed two earned runs on six hits in five innings of work.

Freshman Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) and Groves were both 2-for-3 from the dish.