Pirates Stumble Late in Rain-Soaked Battle Against St. John's

Friday, April 11

South Orange, N.J.

2 PM

Seton Hall University

23-18, 0

St. John's

32-10-1, 0

St. John's

Seton Hall

Pirates Stumble Late in Rain-Soaked Battle Against St. John's

4/11/2025 8:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Despite a late-game comeback attempt, the Seton Hall softball team (23-18, 8-8 BIG EAST) fell to St. John's (32-10-1, 12-1 BIG EAST), 5-4, in a rain-soaked series opener between the BIG EAST rivals.

How It Happened
Against a BIG EAST-leading St. John's roster, the Pirates found themselves down 2-0 after midway through the first inning when BIG EAST Player of the Year candidate London Jarrard knocked a two-run home run over the tall right field wall. The Pirates attempted to respond in both the second and third innings, putting two runners on base in each inning, but were unable to score any runners as The Hall remained down 2-0.

The Pirates' deficit grew in the third inning when a one-out double to centerfield scored two runs to made it 4-0 in favor of St. John's. An RBI single later that inning would score another run, expanding Seton Hall's deficit to 5-0.

Amid the drizzling rain, the Pirates finally found their answer to the Red Storm's surging offense in the fourth inning. After a leadoff single by Olivia Gilbert, Andrea Perez drove a home run to deep centerfield to reduce the deficit to three, 5-2. In the fifth inning, Kelsey Carr gave way to Kyra Kresucher as the Pirates searched for a fresh arm to power their comeback run. Despite some hairy and chaotic moments due to the weather, Kreuscher escaped the top of the fifth inning unscathed and the Pirates remained down 5-2.

After four innings-worth of long at-bats by the Pirates, the Red Storm's lauded starter Ana Serafinko showed immense signs of fatigue in the fifth inning. Caroline Hobbes and Carr walked to lead off the inning, then one out later, Naya Martinez drove home Hobbes to draw The Hall another run closer, 5-3. After Gilbert walked to load the bases, one out and multiple mound visits later, Perez walked in Carr to pull Seton Hall within one-run, 5-4. The Pirates would end the inning there, however, as a bases-loaded flyout left the Hall still down one run.

ANDREA PEREZ GOES YARD😤

Perez with 2-run HR to put the Pirates on the board!#HALLin🔵⚪️ | #HooksUp pic.twitter.com/fLZz4vsHrW
— Seton Hall Softball (@SHUSoftball) April 11, 2025

As the Pirates mounted this comeback, Kreuscher was lights out in the circle. After her first inning of work, the junior faced only six batters across the final two innings. With undeniable pitching at Te Hall's back, they loaded the bases in the sixth inning and forced a Red Storm. St. John's induced a strikeout to end the sixth inning, quashing another promising Pirates rally that could have tied the game. In the seventh inning, with only one out left to give, the Pirates put a pair of runners on-base. The game would go no further, however, as a first-pitch pop out would end the game and the Pirates' fell 5-4 to the Red Storm in the series opener.

News & Notes

The Pirates move to 23-18 on the season and 8-8 in BIG EAST play.
Seton Hall moves to 33-62 all-time against St. John's, with the first matchup occurring in 1981.
Today, the Pirates drew 11 walks, their second-highest total of the season (14 vs Wagner).
With one RBI today, Martinez has eight RBI in her last seven BIG EAST games.
Carr drew a career-high four walks.
- She also pitched her seventh game of the season with five or more strikeouts.
With three RBI today, Perez has 12 RBI in the last two weeks.
- She has an RBI in six of her last ten games.
The Pirates remain winless this season in games that they have been trailing after four innings.
The Hall stranded 13 runners across the seven-inning matchup.

What's Next
The Pirates will close out the season series against St. John's on Sunday, April 13, with a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for 12 p.m.