Seton Hall University
SIUE
Softball Edged by SIUE in Clearwater
3/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CLEARWATER, FLA. - The Seton Hall University softball team dropped a pair of games at the USF Under Armour Showcase on Saturday in Clearwater, Fla., falling to Wisconsin, 9-2, and suffering a tough loss in the seventh inning to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 5-3.
Wisconsin 9, Seton Hall 2
The Pirates were unable to avoid a couple of big innings as they lost to Wisconsin during the first game of the day. SHU did lead early on, grabbing a 2-1 edge in the top of the third thanks to Whitney Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) hitting her second home run of the weekend, and fourth of the year.
Valerie Suto (Mercerville, N.J.) singled with one out, and following a Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) liner to short, Jones went yard for the second time in as many days.
Wisconsin regained the advantage with four runs in the next half inning. Samantha Arents' two-run single made it 3-2 and then Marissa Mersch hit an RBI double to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Badgers broke the game open three innings later. In the bottom of the sixth, Wisconsin loaded the bases with one out for third baseman Chloe Miller, and her double scored all three runners in what was the final scoring play of the game.
Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) threw all six innings for The Hall, striking out three. Suto was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
SIU-Edwardsville 5, Seton Hall 3
Seton Hall appeared to be on the verge of picking up a split on the day, heading into the seventh inning with a 3-1 lead against the Cougars. Starter Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) had given up just four hits through the first six innings, but steadily SIUE chipped away and chipped away, putting together five base hits, all singles, during what proved to be a three-run inning to decide the game.
Three of the first four batters of the inning recorded a base hit, loading the bases with one out. Pinch hitter Whitney Lanphier flew out to center, scoring Rachel Keller, and cutting the SHU lead down to 3-2.
Two singles with two outs resulted in two more runs for the Cougars, as leadoff batter Haley Chambers drove in the game-winning run with her first base knock of the day. DeStaso struck out Haley Adrian to end the inning, but the Pirates were unable to come back during their last at-bat.
Seton Hall took the lead early on. With two on and two outs in the top of the second, Chelsea Caynon (Litchfield, N.H.) came up with a two-RBI double, scoring Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) and DeStaso to make it 2-0.
Up by one in the fifth, the Pirates struck again. Sara Haefeli (Montclair, N.J.) doubled with two outs and freshman Alexis Walkden (Cibolo, Texas) took full advantage of the scoring opportunity, sending a single to center to score Haefeli and make it 3-1.
DiPietro went 2-for-3 to finish with a multi-hit game for The Hall. DeStaso fell to 3-4 with the loss and struck out three over seven innings.
Seton Hall wraps up competition at its first tournament in Clearwater on Sunday morning against Robert Morris. First pitch is scheduled for 11:15 a.m.
