Seton Hall University
Pittsburgh
Rabbetts Homers Twice in SHU Win
4/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Freshman catcher Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) homered twice to lift the Seton Hall University softball team to a 4-3 win over the University of Pittsburgh in the second game of a BIG EAST doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field in South Orange, N.J. Pittsburgh won the low scoring first game, 1-0.
Sophomore Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) pitched all but one inning for Seton Hall on Saturday, and it was just a solo home run for Tori Nirschl in the third inning of game one that made the difference for the Panthers.
DeStaso scattered just five hits to go along with eight strikeouts in seven innings of the first game and came right back to toss six innings in game two, where she again yielded just five hits, but this time the Panthers scored three runs while DeStaso added six more strikeouts to her total.
Rabbetts started her hot day at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance in game one, accounting for two of Seton Hall’s three hits. She went 2-for-3 again in game two, smacking two home runs out to left to drive in three runs.
-- Game One --
Seton Hall threatened early in game one. Senior Brittany Hammer (Manheim, Pa.) drew one of her four walks on the day in the top of the first, stole second, and moved up to third on a DeStaso groundout to second. However the Pirates were unable to bring Hammer across the plate.
With one out in the Pittsburgh half of the third Nirschl powerd a line drive just over the fence in left field to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead and that solo shot would hold up as the only run of the game.
The Pirates best look at knotting up the game came in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) and Rabbetts recorded back-to-back singles to open the frame and sophomore Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) laid down a sacrifice to give Seton Hall a pair of runners in scoring position with only one out.
Pittsburgh starter Savannah King and the Panthers defense successfully worked out of the trouble by catching DeLuca with a pickoff at third and striking out sophomore Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) to end the inning.
King improved to 7-11 with the win, allowing three hits with five strikeouts.
-- Game Two --
Nirschl struck both early and late for Pittsburgh in game two, but her 2-for-4, two RBI performance was not enough to lead her team to a win thanks to the hot bat of Rabbetts.
A Nirschl double to right field with two outs in the third inning led to the Panther’s first run, as she eventually was driven in by a Holly Stevens RBI single to right.
In the bottom of the fourth Seton Hall hung two runs on the scoreboard for the first time. DeLuca was hit by a pitch to reach base to start the inning, setting the table for Rabbetts’ first homer of the day, a towering shot out to left field.
DeStaso kept Pittsburgh from scoring in the fifth and Seton Hall managed to extend the lead by one in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) perfectly executed a bunt single and moved up to second with her team-leading 19th steal of the season. DeStaso managed to bring her home with a grounder out to second, leaving Pittsburgh with no choice but to allow the speedy Harrell to score and catch DeStaso at first.
In the bottom of the sixth Rabbetts homered again, a leadoff solo shot, once again out to left field, representing a run that at the time seemed like just added insurance but eventually proved to be the game winner.
Trailing by three heading into their last at-bat the Panthers wasted no time in cutting their deficit down to one. Kathryn Duran singled to start the inning and Nirschl homered for a second time, a two-run shot to deep right field.
That spelled the end of the day for DeStaso who was tremendous in both games. Junior Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) came in to record her second save of the season, getting Taylor Henry to ground out to end the game.
Seton Hall and Pittsburgh will conclude their three-game series on Sunday, April 14, at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field in South Orange, N.J. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
