Softball Outslugs Saint Peter's to Seal Sweep
3/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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 won a wild 10-8 affair to secure a double-header sweep of Saint Peter's on Wednesday. The Pirates took game one by a 5-1 margin and head into BIG EAST play with a 15-12 overall record.
In game two, junior Brittany Hammer (Manheim, Pa.) went 4-for-4, becoming the 12th player to tie the single-game record and her three doubles sets a new mark.
Hammer led the nightcap off with a double to left-center and scored on a Kristen Kaelin (Parlin, N.J.) two-bagger.
The Peahens (2-15) loaded the bases in the third and a Shelby Beaver base-hit drew Saint Peter's even. Francesca D'Amato followed with a two-run single to put her team ahead, 3-1.
SHU answered right back in the bottom of the inning after an error plated Hammer, who led the frame off with another double, to bring the Pirates within one. Freshman Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) put Seton Hall back on top, 4-3, with a monster two-run homerun, but the Pirates still were not done.
Sophomore Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) found a gap and pulled a double into left-centerfield. The next batter, junior Cashel Gaffey (East Lyme, Conn.), drove Henze in with an RBI base hit to add an insurance run.
Two hits and a walk filled the bases for the Peahens again in the fourth for Nicole Olmedo with no outs. With one swing of the bat, Olmedo cleared the bases with a grand slam to give the lead back to Saint Peter's, 7-5.
Once again, Seton Hall's bats came through in their half of the inning. Senior Laura Canulli (Naperville, Ill.) cut the deficit to one with a single to bring in Hammer from second base. Senior Nicole Loewenstein (Joppa, Md.) knotted things at 7-7 with yet another double, and DeStaso brought in Loewenstein with a single, marking the fifth time the lead changed hands.
With one on in the fifth, freshman Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) joined in on the offensive explosion, jacking her first career long ball to extend the cushion to 10-7.
D'Amato drove in her third run of the contest with a double in the top of the sixth, and held the Pirates from scoring in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the seventh, the Peahens put two runners on and SHU elected to intentionally walk Olmedo to load the bases with two outs. The Pirates called upon DeStaso to close out the game in the circle, and the freshman fanned Krystine Rice to slam the door.
Freshman Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing just one earned run with three strikeouts to improve to 4-2. DeStaso earned her first career save.
Nine players recorded 15 hits for Seton Hall in the game. Saint Peter's left 11 runners stranded.
In the first game of the day, hits by Bridget Constantino (Abington, Mass.) and Henze in the second set the table for Hammer, who gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
After giving up a run in the fourth, SHU quickly regained the momentum by loading the bases in their turn at-bats. Kaelin knocking in a pair of runs with a single and Loewenstein made it 5-1 with another RBI single and DeStaso would take care of the rest.
The right-hander won her third straight-decision (3-4) after throwing a complete-game, allowing just four hits with eight strikeouts.
Henze led the offense with a 2-for-3 outing.
The Pirates kick-off league-play with a three-game series against Connecticut this weekend. The squads will take part in a double-header on Saturday, March 24, beginning at noon.
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