Seton Hall University
Saint Joseph's
Softball Routs Quinnipiac, Edged by St. Joe's
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CLEARWATER, FLA. - The Seton Hall University softball team experienced mixed results on the first day of the USF Michelle Smith Spring Break Tournament, as the Pirates rolled past Quinnipiac, 14-0, in five innings, but allowed a pair of unearned runs and saw a late rally come up short in a 3-2 loss to Saint Joseph's.
Seton Hall 14, Quinnipiac 0 (5 inn.)
Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) was in complete control on the mound, giving up just three hits over five innings with five strikeouts to pick up her fourth win of the season, and although she wouldn't need it, the Seton Hall offense provided plenty of support in its five-inning rout.
The Pirates (10-13) were rolling from the very start, scoring six runs in the top of the first in what was a sign of things to come on an excellent day at the plate. DeStaso provided one of the biggest hits of the inning, helping her own cause with a two-RBI double to left center, scoring Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) and Whitney Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) to make it 3-0.
Three batters later, junior Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) drove in two more, shooting a single up the middle into center field. In all, Seton Hall sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning, took advantage of four Quinnipiac errors in the field, the Bobcats would commit five on the day, and still stranded three along the base paths.
The lead was up to 7-0 when Seton Hall engineered another big inning, this time a three-run third highlighted by freshman Alexis Walkden (Cibolo, Texas) hitting a two-run double to left field. Haefeli would go on to double to left, and scored on a DeStaso sacrifice fly.
Walkden wasn't finished with her big day. With one run already across in the top of the fourth, Seton Hall had runners on second and third with one out and Walkden proceeded to leave the yard for the seventh time this year, sending a three-run shot over the fence in left field to make the lead 14-0.
Walkden went 2-for-4 with six RBI and two runs scored to lead the Seton Hall offense. In addition to shining on the mound, DeStaso was 1-for-2, driving in three and scoring once, and Rabbetts finished 2-for-3 with two RBI. Seton Hall saw nine players record at least one base hit in the game, with four Pirates registering multi-hit games.
Saint Joseph's 3, Seton Hall 2
Seton Hall's comeback attempt in game two ultimately fell short as down by one in the seventh the Pirates were unable to bring the game-winner home with the bases loaded and two outs.
Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) drew a bases loaded walk to bring Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y.) across the plate to pull the Pirates within one. Valerie Suto (Mercerville, N.J.) was next up, but she grounded out to end the game and leave The Hall one run shy of achieving a tie.
Seton Hall trailed 2-0 through two, as the Hawks scored once in each of the first two innings. In the top of the third, Seton Hall loaded the bases with two outs, and Chelsea Caynon (Litchfield, N.H.), who has been swinging a hot bat throughout the spring trip, pinch hit for Suto, but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Two innings later, DeStaso hit a leadoff homer, her fourth of the year, to get the Pirates on the board, but Saint Joseph's scored its second unearned tally of the game in the bottom half of the inning to regain a two-run edge.
Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) threw six innings for The Hall, falling to 4-6, but she gave up just five hits and one earned run. Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-3.
Seton Hall is back in action for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates face Boston University at 4:15 p.m., and Colgate at 6:30 p.m.
