Smith's Grand Slam Powers Pirates Into Championship Game

Friday, May 12

Storrs, Conn.

12 PM

Seton Hall University

41-16

Connecticut

34-14

UConn

Seton Hall

Smith's Grand Slam Powers Pirates Into Championship Game

5/12/2023 5:47:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Storrs, Conn – Behind a grand slam from Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas) and stellar pitching in relief from Kelsey Carr (Ridgewood, N.Y.), the Pirates advanced to the BIG EAST Championship Game with a 6-4 victory over No. 1 seed UConn on Friday afternoon. The Pirates will have two chances on Saturday to win the program's first BIG EAST title since 2005.

How it Happened
Each time UConn scored in this game, the Pirates immediately responded with runs of their own. The first instance came in the second inning, when an RBI double gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half, Seton Hall answered right back thanks to an RBI double of their own from Hannah Alexander (Wrightstown, N.J.).

B2 | Hannah with a rocket!

Hannah Alexander laces one off the wall in left to score Abby from first!

Pirates 1, Huskies 1#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/FOFHjFAsCk
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

UConn would manufacture another run in the third, as a sacrifice fly gave the top seed a 2-1 advantage. The Pirates came back up to the plate ready to hit, as singles from Ashly Colonnetta (Cypress, Texas) and Taylor Hill (Little Falls, N.J.) plus a walk from Carr loaded the bases for Smith. The senior rocketed a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left field for a grand slam, giving Seton Hall a 5-2 lead.

𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇'𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃. 𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐈𝐓.

What can't she do!?!?#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/mwoDw3h70n
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗯𝘆. 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗺.

How about 11 RBI's in the tournament so far for Shelby Smith?#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/G46IRzj55s
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

After a scoreless fourth, UConn began to chip away at the deficit in the fifth. Three singles, including an RBI knock from Grace Jenkins, brough the Huskies back within two and chased Smith from the circle. Carr came on in relief, surrendering a sacrifice fly but getting out of the inning with the Pirates maintaining a one-run lead.

With the Huskies desperately in search of a shutdown inning, the Pirates had other ideas. After back-to-back strikeouts to open the inning, the scorching-hot hitting Smith was intentionally walked with the bases empty. The Pirates made the Huskies pay for the decision, as back-to-back singles from Abby Wingo (Portland, Ore.) and Olivia Gilbert (Johnston, R.I.) plated the sixth Pirate run of the day.

B5 | Two-out magic 🪄

OG comes through with a clutch RBI single to left to push our lead back to two!#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/728dXtPRLW
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

After a clean sixth, Carr went back to the circle in the seventh needing three outs to solidify the victory. Lexi Hastings led off the inning for the Huskies with a long fly ball to center field. Wingo retreated to the wall, leaped up and brought back what would have been a solo home run.

THAT'S WHY SHE WAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOLKS.

Abby Wingo. What a catch.#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/c3jhhV2kmf
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

"𝐆𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓"

-Abby Wingo, probably.#HALLin🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/O3wavKWNSy
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) May 12, 2023

After a one-out single, Carr was able to get the final two outs to send the Pirates to Championship Saturday.

Notes & Numbers

The Pirates will have two opportunities to win just one game to claim the program's third BIG EAST title and first since 2005.
This will be Seton Hall's first appearance in the championship game since 2015, which was also the last time the Pirates qualified for the tournament.
Smith is batting .667 (6-for-9) with two home runs, two doubles and 11 RBI in the BIG EAST Championship so far.
Smith's grand slam was the fourth of the season for the Pirates.
Hill scored her 47^th run of the season, tying her with Katie Pierce for the single-season program record.
Both of Gilbert's hits during this week's tournament have driven in runs, the other being her game-tying solo home run on Wednesday against DePaul.

What's Next
The Pirates will play for their first BIG EAST championship since 2005 on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 4 p.m. on FS2. The if necessary game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start time on FS1.