Seton Hall University
Providence
Softball Completes Series Sweep of Providence
3/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 23, 2014
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall softball team jumped ahead of Providence with three first inning runs on Sunday afternoon and never looked back, closing out a three-game series sweep with a 7-5 victory.
The Hall previously swept a Saturday doubleheader and outscored the Friars (0-15, 0-3) 23-to-8 in what was the first BIG EAST series for both squads.
Junior Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) continued her tear at the plate, knocking in two of the first inning runs and keying the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 effort and four RBIs. In the circle, senior Jen Metzger (Pine Hill, N.J.) earned her fourth win of the season, allowing just one earned run in 4.2 innings for the Pirates (9-20, 3-0) after entering to start the third.
Starter Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) put a zero on the board for The Hall in the first and in the bottom half, sophomore Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) wasted no time getting the offense going from the leadoff spot. The Pirates' hits leader smacked a single to right field and advanced to second when senior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) reached via a throwing error on the sacrifice attempt. DeLuca was erased on a fielder's choice after Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) bounced one to second base but Harrell moved up to third and a ringing double to left-center off the bat of DeStaso brought both baserunners home, giving SHU a 2-0 lead.
The Pirates would add one more prior to the end of the frame as sophomore Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) laid down a well-placed bunt and her speed down the line helped force the Providence catcher Sarah Kitterman into an errant throw that allowed DeStaso to come around and score.
Moses ran into some trouble in the second as the Friars quickly put runners on first and third with no outs. The junior came back to fan left fielder Marie Flego and induced a groundout from Kitterman, but second baseman Megan Rollins got Providence on the board when she sent one up the middle that was mishandled by Seton Hall shortstop Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y.) as she tried to make a tough play ranging to her left. Lent bobbled and recovered, but misfired on the throw and both runners crossed the plate to cut the deficit to one at 3-2.
Seton Hall went quietly in the second, as did Providence in the top half of the following inning, setting the stage for the Pirates to pull away in the third. DeLuca shot one down the right field line that resulted in a double and after a Henze single; DeStaso added another single, finding the gap between left and center yet again for her second two-RBI hit of the afternoon.
DeStaso was the impetus behind the Pirates' offensive success all weekend, totaling seven hits in 10 at-bats and driving home seven runs over the three-game set to increase her team-best total to 18 RBIs for the season.
Neither team got one across in the fourth but in the fifth, Providence third baseman Shanelle Harrell collected her second double of the day and came home as Kelsi Luttrell followed with a single to trim the Seton Hall lead to 5-3. The Pirates got the run back in the next turn at-bat however wen with two away, junior Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) doubled home DeStaso who had reached with a leadoff double of her own.
A sixth inning surge that featured consecutive singles from Faith Laudano (Islip, N.Y.) and Harrell followed by an RBI double from DeLuca gave The Hall a four-run cushion headlining into the final frame.
Metzger retired two of the first three Providence hitters in the seventh but a single and an error loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate. Kiara Baldassari connected with one that found its way through the left side to plate one and prompt head coach Paige Smith to turn to freshman Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) for the one-out save.
Fischer walked her first batter to force in another run but quickly got the Friars #3 hitter McKall Miller to pop out to DeLuca at second to seal the win.
The save was the second of Fischer's young career and closed out the Pirates' fourth victory in the last five games. DeLuca, Harrell and Laudano - who recorded two at-bats after entering in the third - all finished with two hits and a run scored as The Hall touched up Providence starter Taylor Huntly (0-10) for 13 hits before chasing her in the sixth.
Seton Hall will remain home for a scheduled Wednesday twin-bill with Saint Peter's before resuming conference action next weekend at Villanova. First pitch for game one between the Pirates and Peacocks is slated for 3:00 p.m.
