Smith and Blevins Power Pirates Past Villanova, 3-0

Friday, April 29

Villanova, Pa.

3 PM

Seton Hall University

18-21, 7-12

Villanova

26-20, 13-5

Seton Hall

Villanova

Smith and Blevins Power Pirates Past Villanova, 3-0

4/29/2022 5:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score BOX SCORE (PDF)WATCH SATURDAY'S GAME

Villanova, Pa. - Junior Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas) threw a complete game shutout and went 2-for-4 at the plate, and freshman Jenna Blevins (Flat Rock, Mich.) had the ice-breaking two-run double in the fourth inning to power the Seton Hall softball team to a 3-0 win over Villanova, snapping the Wildcats' 12-game winning streak, Friday at Villanova Softball Complex.

Smith navigated one of the best offenses in the BIG EAST and scattered just four hits and four walks, stranding nine Wildcats on the bases for her second complete game shutout of the season.

Seton Hall is now 7-12 in BIG EAST games this season.

How It Happened
The bats were relatively quiet for both teams through three innings, but the Pirates found their groove in the fourth. Smith led off by stroking a single past the third baseman down the line. With senior pinch-runner Marisa Pla (San Clemente, Calif.) taking off for second on an 0-2 pitch, freshman Taylor Hill (Little Falls, N.J.) hit a grounder to the shortstop position, but Villanova's Megan Kern was attempting to cover second on this hit-and-run play and was out of position to field the ball, leading to an infield single. After a groundout moved Pla and Hill up a base, Blevins took an 0-1 pitch and smashed it to the left-center gap to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, junior Ashly Colonnetta (Cypress, Calif.) picked up an infield single to the shortstop hole, and then Smith jumped on a 1-0 pitch and hit it off the left field wall for a double, and Colonnetta came all the way around from first to score and put the Pirates on top 3-0.

Smith then came up with a huge shutdown inning in the circle, getting Villanova's 2-3-4 hitters to fly out on just five total pitches. She did not allow a Wildcats baserunner to reach third base all day.

Numbers & Notes

Seton Hall snapped Villanova's 12-game winning streak.
This was Seton Hall's first win at Villanova since April 21, 2014.
Smith tossed her 18th complete game of the season, 13th in BIG EAST play, and second complete game shutout. She scattered four hits and four walks in her seven innings. Her consecutive innings pitched without allowing a walk ended in the second inning after 22 innings pitched.
Smith also was 2-for-4 at the plate with a single and double and an RBI.
Colonnetta went 3-for-4 and scored a run. She is now hitting .452 in 12 BIG EAST games this season.
Blevins drove in two of the team's three runs and now has an RBI in three straight games.
Sophomore Hannah Alexander (Wrightstown, N.J.) doubled and now has an extra-base hit in back-to-back games.

Up Next
Seton Hall and Villanova will continue the series Saturday with a noon first pitch. The game will be streamed on FloSoftball, which requires a subscription.