Seton Hall University
Notre Dame
Hall Falls to ND in BIG EAST Opener
3/23/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall University softball team lost a pair of games to the University of Notre Dame, falling in the first, 10-2, and the second, 10-1, in its 2013 BIG EAST Conference and home opener on Saturday afternoon at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field.
The Pirates used the long ball to tally runs in both games. Sophomore Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) went yard for the first time in her career with a solo shot in the fifth inning of game one.
Sophomore Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) came up with her team-leading third home run of the season, also of the solo variety, out to left field in the fourth inning of the second contest.
-- Game One --
Notre Dame scored twice in the top of the first inning. Emilee Koerner led off the game with a double to center and scored on an Amy Buntin sacrifice fly.
Buntin added two more RBI to her total in the third, this time hitting a two-run homer out to center to give the Fighting Irish a 4-0 lead and tallied a fourth RBI on a single to left center during a three-run fourth inning.
The Pirates threatened in the second and fourth innings thanks to a pair of hard hit doubles by junior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.). She led off the second with a two-base hit to left center and advanced to third on an Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) sacrifice bunt, but the Pirates were unable to bring her home.
In the fourth it was DeLuca once again with the big hit, doubling down the left field line with just one out but the Fighting Irish escaped the inning.
Haefeli’s blast led off the fifth and sparked a Seton Hall rally. After her home run sophomore Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) drew a walk and sophomore Sam DeMasi (Lockport, Ill.) singled to right to give the Pirates two on with no outs.
A DeStaso hard hit single to short eventually brought Moses across the plate later in the inning but the Pirates were not able to extend the game.
DeStaso started the game at pitcher and fell to 8-5 on the year, allowing seven runs over 3.2 innings with four strikeouts. Moses allowed just one run on one hit in an inning of relief.
-- Game Two --
Laura Winter powered Notre Dame a large lead early in game two, tallying three RBI on a base clearing double in the top of the first and sending a three-run homer over the wall in left center in the second inning.
DeStaso’s solo home run came on the first pitch of the fourth inning, getting Seton Hall on the scoreboard for the first time, but the Pirates were unable to string together hits behind that fast start.
Junior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) tried to spark the SHU offense with a two-out double down the line in left in the last of the fifth. Freshman Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) followed her at the plate, lining out to short to end the game.
Moses fell to 0-2 on the year, starting game two but giving up eight runs. DeStaso threw the final 3.2 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with two strikeouts.
Seton Hall and Notre Dame will conclude their series with a single game on Sunday, March 24, at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
