Seton Hall University
Creighton
Players Mentioned
DeStaso Shines in Win Over Creighton
4/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2014
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Junior Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) did a little bit of everything in leading the Seton Hall University softball team to a 5-3 victory over Creighton University on Saturday afternoon at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field, resulting in a doubleheader split with the Pirates' new BIG EAST foe.
Seton Hall bounced back from a 12-0 loss in game one to grab a 5-0 lead in the second game of Saturday's twin bill, holding on for the two-run victory. DeStaso threw a complete game on the mound, giving up three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts to improve to 4-5 on the year.
With the nine batters struck out she increased her career total to 325, which moved her past Ashley Forsyth (2008-10) for fourth place in program history. The nine strikeouts also represented her second-highest tally this season, bested only by her 15 in a shutout victory over Quinnipiac back on March 8.
Offensively, DeStaso hit 1-for-3 but she drove in three runs and scored once. In the top of the first inning leadoff batter Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) singled to left field, stole second and advanced to third on a Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) sacrifice bunt. DeStaso brought her home with an RBI groundout to second.
Her big hit came during Seton Hall's three-run third. The Bluejays were made to pay for an error Liz Dike committed at shortstop, as she saw a Harrell ground ball roll under her glove with two already retired in the frame. DeLuca drew a walk to extend the inning and then DeStaso smashed a two-RBI double to right center field, easily scoring Harrell and allowing DeLuca to come all the way around from first to make it 3-0.
The Pirates would plate one more when senior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) drove in DeStaso with an RBI single up the middle.
Creighton utilized the long ball all day long and it was a pair of home runs in the late innings that enabled the Bluejays to attempt a comeback. Ellen Homan smacked a two-run homer in the top half of the fifth to cut the SHU lead down to 5-2, and Dike led off the sixth with a solo shot to center field, her second home run of the day.
DeStaso went on to retire three-straight in the top of the sixth to ensure Seton Hall would take a lead into the seventh, and then worked her way out of a bit of trouble to close out the victory in the final inning.
She made short work of Kelsey Allender and Homan to start the seventh, but Creighton rallied with two outs. Blair Lowe singled and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Dike, but DeStaso got her to fly out to Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) to close out the victory. The Pirates improved to 6-1 this season when taking a lead into the final inning.
Harrell was 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the leadoff spot, and hit 1-for-3 in game one to finish the double header with three base hits. DeLuca went 1-for-1 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk, and Henze was 1-for-3 with the RBI single in the third.
Creighton ace Becca Changstrom was the star of game one, limiting the SHU offense to five hits over five innings with eight strikeouts. The Bluejays broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning, hitting a pair of home runs.
DeStaso was 1-for-2 as the designated player, also drawing a walk to reach base twice. Senior Jen Metzger (Pine Hill, N.J.) fell to 4-6 with the loss, striking out two in 2.1 innings but giving up four runs.
Seton Hall and Creighton will conclude their BIG EAST series on Sunday morning at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field in South Orange. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
