Seton Hall University
Coppin State
Softball Comes Back to Win Two
3/10/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Pirates needed to come from behind in both games, erasing a 4-2 deficit against Coppin State and scoring four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to come back from being down 3-0 against Princeton.
Against Coppin State, after trailing 4-2 through two innings the Pirates took control of the game with three runs in the fourth. Sophomore Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) cranked a two-RBI double to right center and freshman Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) recorded an RBI single in the critical fourth-inning rally.
Sophomore Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) was dominant in pitching 5.1 scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win. She struck out 10 batters and gave up just one hit to improve to 5-1 on the year.
DeStaso picked up a second win of the day, throwing a complete game against Princeton. She scattered four hits over seven innings, allowing three runs with six strikeouts. She struck out 16 batters in 12.1 innings of action on Saturday.
The Pirates scored three runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning before freshman Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) came up with the game-winning base hit, scoring DiPietro on a single up the middle in the sixth.
-- Game One --
Coppin State score four runs over the first two innings to assume control. The first five batters of the game reached base for the Eagles and they grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a bases loaded walk to Heather Josker, and scored a second run on a bases-loaded single for Samantha Delinger.
In the top of the second Seton Hall managed to draw even. Freshman Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) led off the inning with a double down the line in left and sophomore Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) followed that up with a base hit to the same side of the field. Junior Jen Metzger (Pine Hill, N.J.) brought them both home with a two-RBI double to left center.
Josker and Nicole Boggs each registered an RBI base hit in the bottom of the second to regain a two run lead, and then in the fourth inning the Pirates turned the tides for good with the timely hits for Haefeli and DiPietro.
Seton Hall's insurance runs came in the sixth and sevnth innings. Metzger led off the sixth with a double to right center, and was driven in by DiPietro two batters later.
Crucial leadoff hits continued to factor into the Pirates' big scoring innings as DeStaso opened the seventh with a double to right. Sophomore Sam DeMasi (Lockport, Ill.) pinch ran for DeStaso and was driven in by Rabbetts. Metzger came up with the other RBI of the inning, grounding out to short but scoring Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) from third.
Metzger, who started the game at pitcher, then slid over to designated player after the second inning finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI while scoring twice. Sheldon went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, Rabbetts was 2-for-3 and leadoff hitter Harrell also had a multi-hit game batting 2-for-3.
-- Game Two --
Princeton jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when Alyssa Schmidt recorded a two-RBI double in the top of the first inning. After the rough start DeStaso was in a groove, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters she faced, including 1-2-3 innings in the second in third, before giving up a third run in the top of the fourth.
Princeton still led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning when the Seton Hall bats finally came to life. Harrell and senior Brittany Hammer (Manheim, Pa.) recorded back-to-back singles to start the fifth, setting the table for Rabbetts to launch a three-run bomb into left center to tie the game.
DeStaso successfully navigated the sixth inning and the Pirates struck again in the bottom of the sixth to complete the comeback. Junior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) had a pinch hit double with one out before DiPietro was brought in to run for her at second. After a Tiger pitching change Harrell singled up the middle to score what proved to be the game-winning run in DiPietro from second base.
Harrell was 3-for-3 with the game-winning RBI, a run scored and a pair of steals in the win. Hammer went 2-for-3 and Rabbetts was 1-for-2 with the huge home run in the fifth.
Seton Hall concludes its spring break trip with a doubleheader at George Washington University on Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
