Seton Hall University
Notre Dame
Pirates Fall to Notre Dame
5/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
TAMPA, FLA. – The Seton Hall University softball team fell to No. 1 seed Notre Dame, 6-0, in the 2013 BIG EAST Championship quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon at the USF Softball Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Seton Hall, which was competing in the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time since the 2009 season, wraps up its 2013 campaign with a 21-30 overall record. The Pirates finished the BIG EAST regular season with an 8-13 mark, which represented the most victories in conference play for the Hall since 2010.
An early defensive miscue hindered the Pirates as Notre Dame scored a pair of unearned runs to stake claim to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Seton Hall starter Jen Metzger (Pine Hill, N.J.) pitched her way out of the jam in the top of the first as the Fighting Irish placed runners at second and third with one out. She struck out 2013 Player of the Year Laura Winter and then got Katey Haus to pop up to first base.
It was the second inning that caused issues for the SHU defense. Cassidy Whidden was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved up to third with a steal and sacrifice bunt before Chloe Saganowich drove her home. An errant throw by third baseman Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) on a Kelsey Thornton bunt attempt traveled along the fence all the way into the corner in right field, allowing Saganowich and Thornton to score to score on the play.
Winter limited Seton Hall to three hits in the game, with the Pirates’ best chance to crack the Notre Dame starter coming in the sixth inning only to be stymied by a great play in left field to end the inning.
With one out freshman Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) recorded a slap single into left and moved into scoring position on a Brittany Hammer (Manheim, Pa.) sacrifice bunt. With the outfield playing deep junior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) connected on what at first appeared to be a potential RBI single to left, but Lauren Stuhr came in to make a great diving play and record the out and end the Seton Hall threat.
Metzger had a strong outing in the circle for Seton Hall, allowing only three earned runs with a pair of strikeouts in six innings of work. Sophomore Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) and Henze also picked up base hits for the Pirates on Thursday.
DeLuca, who nearly had an RBI in the top of the sixth, connected on what off the bat appeared to be a potential home run to center field in the fourth, but Emilee Koerner tracked it down and made the grab at the warning track.
