Seton Hall University
DePaul
Pirates Drop Pair to DePaul in BIG EAST Opener
3/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall University softball team was swept in a doubleheader by DePaul University in its 2015 home and BIG EAST opener at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Pirates were unable to hold onto a two-run lead in the seventh, falling 7-5 in game one, while the Blue Demons used a big second inning to capture a 14-5 win in the second game.
DePaul 7, Seton Hall 5
Despite senior Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) recording her third multi home run game of the season, Seton Hall (11-17, 0-2) saw the Blue Demons rally in the top of the seventh, as the Pirates let a two-run lead slip away.
The issue for Seton Hall actually could be traced back to the third inning, when DePaul scored two runs that likely could have been prevented and made a sizeable difference by the end of the game. With a runner on first and no outs, Morgan Maize popped up eight feet down the first base line, but no one made a play on the ball and it bounced foul. She went on to single to short, giving the Blue Demons two runners on with no outs.
SHU starter Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) retired the next two batters, but when there arguably should have already been three outs in the inning, Kali Gardner roped a double to right field, clearing the bases and giving DePaul a 2-1 lead.
Haefeli had already homered once, a solo shot in the second, but her second home run of the day came in the following half inning. The DePaul lead had already vanished thanks to an Alexis Walkden (Cibolo, Texas) RBI double to left center. In the next at bat, Haefeli smacked a two-run shot over the wall in center field, providing the Pirates with a two-run lead.
The Pirates added one more in the sixth. Noel Lent (Yaphanic, N.Y.) reached on an infield single, and scored all the way from first as Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) doubled into the gap in right center, leaving The Hall with a 5-3 lead heading into the final inning. But it would not be enough.
DePaul rallied for four runs on four hits. After Maize led off with a single to left, Mary Connolly lifted her eight home run of the year into left field, knotting the game at 5-5. The Blue Demons would take the lead on a Sabrina Kuchta sacrifice fly, and plated the insurance run thanks to a Gena Lenti RBI single to short.
Although the power portion of Seton Hall's lineup was due up in the seventh, the Pirates were unable to come back and force extras.
Haefeli was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Whitney Jones raked up a pair of base hits and scored once and Lent was 2-for-2. DeStaso fell to 5-7 with the loss on the mound, but struck out seven.
DePaul 14, Seton Hall 5 (5 inn.)
DePaul carried its momentum from a comeback win in game one into the second half of the doubleheader, stringing together seven hits during a seven-run second inning to grab a sizeable early advantage.
The Pirates trailed 8-0 when they tried to mount a comeback in the third, but ultimately the Blue Demons' hot start was too much to overcome. Four different players recorded an RBI base hit for The Hall during a five-run inning, capped off by Lent sacrificing out to right field, scoring junior Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) in the process.
A Brittany Boesel double in the top of the fourth allowed DePaul to extend its lead to 10-5. After the Pirates were retired in order, the Blue Demons struck for four more runs in the fifth to wrap up a 14-5 win.
In the leadoff spot, Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) thrived, going 3-for-3 with a run scored, one of three Pirates in the game to register multiple hits. DeStaso and catcher Faith Laudano (Islip, N.Y.) both went 2-for-3, with Laudano driving in one. Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) started on the mound and fell to 4-8, throwing 2.1 innings.
Seton Hall and DePaul will wrap up their three-game BIG EAST series on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field will be at 3 p.m.
