Pirates Rally Late for Dramatic Opening Round Victory over DePaul

Wednesday, May 10

Storrs, Conn.

3 PM

Seton Hall University

39-16

DePaul

17-31

DePaul

Seton Hall

Kelsey Carr crossing plate after BIG EAST Tourney Homer

Photo by: Clarus Multimedia

Pirates Rally Late for Dramatic Opening Round Victory over DePaul

5/10/2023 8:46:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Storrs, Conn – The Pirates completed a dramatic late-game comeback in the First Round of the BIG EAST Softball Championship on Wednesday, overcoming a four-run deficit with four outs left to walk off with a 5-4 victory over DePaul. With the win, the Pirates advance to take on No. 2 seed Villanova on Thursday afternoon.

How it Happened
The two sides engaged in a pitcher's duel through the first four innings, with Pirates' starter Kelsey Carr (Ridgewood, N.Y.) working her way out of a couple of threats. In the first inning, the Blue Demons put two runners in scoring position but were unable to score. In the second, Carr flashed some leather by snagging a comeback and firing on to first for the inning-ending double play.

𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.

Yes she can @John_Fanta. Yes. She. Can.#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/xQgQkJFD1U
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 10, 2023

DePaul struck first in the fifth, as RBI singles from Baylee Cosgrove and Anna Wohlers put the sixth-seeded Blue Demons ahead. In the sixth, DePaul loaded the bases with no outs and chased Carr from the circle. Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas) came on and nearly escaped the inning after back-to-back strikeouts, but a two-run single from Cosgrove doubled the Blue Demon lead.

The Pirates entered the bottom of the sixth with just one base hit against DePaul starting pitcher Bella Nigey. Andrea Perez (Corona, Calif.) worked a walk to begin the inning, but back-to-back strong defensive plays had the Pirates down to their final four outs. Taylor Hill (Little Falls, N.J.) dropped a single into center field to extend the inning for Carr. On an 0-2 pitch, the unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team performer launched a three-run home run to put the Pirates right back in the game.

KELSEY. CARR. IS. HER.

Kelsey comes up HUGE with a three-run shot to put us right back in the game!#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/q6raTX1gAU
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 10, 2023

Smith pitched the seventh as well, working around a one-out walk to keep it a one-run game heading to the bottom of the seventh. Olivia Gilbert (Johnston, R.I.) led off the inning and lined a game-tying solo home run off the left field foul pole to level things at 4-4.

B7 | PAPA OG TIES IT!!!!!

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN!?!?!?!?#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/LwJ3etBCfO
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 10, 2023

The Seton Hall bats kept the pressure on. Hannah Alexander (Wrightstown, N.J.) singled to right field and Perez reached on an error to put the winning run on second. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, a tapper back to the pitcher recorded the second out of the inning. Hill would work a walk to load the bases, and once again Carr stepped to the plate in a crucial moment. On a 3-2 pitch, Carr laced a single into left center to score Miranda Arruda (Pawcatuck, Conn.) from third and deliver a memorable victory.

𝐊𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄!!!!

What. A. Comeback. Kelsey Carr walks us off to the next round with a 5-4 comeback win! PUT YOUR HOOKS UP PIRATE NATION!!!#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/pLUXYcdicw
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 10, 2023

No. Quit.

Down 4-0 with four outs left? No problem. Kelsey Carr walked us off to complete the comeback, and we were pretty fired up about it.#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/u0lyOgdsSJ
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 10, 2023

Notes & Numbers

The Pirates will advance in the winners bracket to a matchup on Thursday afternoon against No. 2 seed Villanova at 3 p.m.
This was the Pirates' fourth comeback win of 4+ runs in the fifth inning or later this season. It is also Seton Hall's fourth walk-off win of the season.
This is the seventh game this season in which the Pirates have tied and/or taken the lead in the seventh inning or later.
Carr's walk-off single was her second of the season, as she also had the walk-off hit against North Dakota on March 4.
Carr now has 47 runs batted in on the season, the third-most in a year in program history and the most since Alexis Walkden's record-setting 51 RBI in 2015.
Before her game-tying home run, Gilbert had gone just 3-for-35 (.086) over her previous 12 games.
Gilbert's home run was her first since March 28 at Monmouth. It was also her second clutch home run at Burrill Family Field this season, as her two-run home run against UConn on March 12 proved to be the difference in the 3-1 victory.

What's Next
The Pirates take the field again on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. for a showdown with No. 2 seed Villanova. The game can be seen live on the BIG EAST Digital Network.