Seton Hall University
Massachusetts
Softball Picks Up Dramatic Win Over UMass
3/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 15, 2014
CLEARWATER, FLA. - The Seton Hall University softball team continued its Spring Break action down in Clearwater, splitting a doubleheader on Saturday morning as the Pirates fell to the Yale Bulldogs, 5-2, but defeated the University of Massachusetts, 7-5.
Senior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) went 2-for-3 but Seton Hall saw a 2-0 lead dissipate as Yale came back to win the game with a five-run sixth inning. The second game of the day against UMass was a back-and-forth affair, with the Pirates ultimately prevailing in the seventh inning. Sophomore Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) and Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) both went 3-for-4 in the win.
Yale 5, Seton Hall 2
The Pirates appeared to be headed toward a win against Yale, leading 2-0 heading into the last of the sixth while starting pitcher Jen Metzger (Pine Hill, N.J.) had limited the Bulldogs to just a pair of base hits through the first five innings of action.
Seton Hall took the lead on a Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) RBI-double in the top of the second, scoring pinch runner Valerie Suto (Mercerville, N.J.) on the play. The Pirates added a second score three innings later.
Metzger led off the fifth by beating out an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position. Junior Sam DeMasi (Lockport, Ill.) laid down a sacrifice bunt to place Metzger at third and Harrell brought her home with a two-out RBI base hit.
Metzger retired Yale in order in the fifth, but the last of the sixth swung the outcome. Yale had runners at first and second following a walk and hit batsman, pulling to within 2-1 as Hannah Brennan singled to center field with one out. That was one of just two base hits the Bulldogs would record in the big inning.
After another walk loaded the bases Yale drew even on a sacrifice fly and took its first lead of the game when Carolyn McGuire drove in two with a base hit. Seton Hall was unable to put together a comeback in the seventh.
Seton Hall 7, UMass 5
Once again it was Seton Hall with the early momentum as the Pirates scored three runs off four hits in the top of the first against Massachusetts. Harrell led off the game with a base hit and stole second, but that didn't matter because starting pitcher Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) smacked her third home run of the year to make it 2-0. DiPietro kept things going with a double to center, and came home off a Haefeli single into left.
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the fourth and this time UMass generated a three-run inning, tying the game with three runs on three hits, completing the rally as Jena Cozza came home from third thanks to an SHU fielding error.
The momentum quickly shifted back to the Pirates' favor as SHU benefitted from a two-run fielding error in left with two outs in the top of sixth. Freshman Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y.) and DiPietro stood at second and third respectively when Lindsey Taylor misplayed a Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) fly ball, allowing both runs to score on the play.
Again the lead would not last. UMass quickly tied the game with one swing of the bat in the top of the sixth when Tiffany Meeks hit a two-run homer. Freshman Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, Fla.) relieved DeStaso on the rubber and threw two solid innings to pick up her first collegiate victory. She scattered just three hits over the next two frames, setting the stage for her team to win it in the seventh.
That eventual winning score came with one out in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Alex Rabbetts (Corona. Calif.) drew a leadoff walk and Harrell recorded her third base hit of the game to put two runners on. Both were in scoring position as senior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) executed a sacrifice bunt and Henze brought the runs home with a single to center field.
Seton Hall's Spring Break excursion will conclude on Sunday morning when the Pirates face Bryant University at 11:15 a.m., SHU's final test before opening conference play at home next weekend against Providence College.
