The softball team (6-19) split its doubleheader Saturday, losing to Yale 5-2 and beating Massachusetts 7-5.
The Pirates wasted no time in game two against Massachusetts, scoring three runs in their first at bat. The Pirates got on the board with a home run by Maria DeLuca. The senior utility player's first home run of the season scored sophomore Yasmin Harrell, who reached on a single. Junior Sara Haefeli stretched the Pirates lead to 3-0, singling in sophomore Jackie DiPietro who reached on a double.
The Minutemen offense was shut down for the first three innings, only mustering two hits. It was not until the fourth inning, that the bats got rolling.
Sophomore Taylor Carbone led off the inning with a triple and was quickly brought home by senior Lindsey Webster, who doubled to left field. The next batter, freshman Jena Cozza singled to score Webster from second base, bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Pirates. Cozza reached second base on the throw home and later reached third base on a groundout by sophomore Lindsey Zenk. Cozza came home to tie the score at three after a fielding error.
The score remained tied until the top of the sixth, when Seton Hall pushed two runs across. Junior Danielle DeStaso singled to start the rally. DiPietro reached on an infield single to third base and advanced to second base off of a throwing error. Freshman Noel Lent, who pinch-ran for DeStaso, reached third on the play. Lent and DiPietro scored after a throwing error by Webster, who was fielding a hit by junior Colltey Sheldon. The sloppy play resulted in a 5-3 lead for Seton Hall.
Down by two in the bottom of the sixth, the Minutemen responded in their own big way. Senior Tiffany Meeks tied the score at five with a two-run home run, scoring Zenk who singled earlier in the inning. The scoring stopped at two runs with UMass leaving the bases loaded to end the frame.
Sophomore Alex Rabbetts led off the top of the seventh with a walk and was pinch-ran for by junior Whitney Jones. A single by Harrell advanced Jones to second. Jones was pushed to third and Harrell moved to second after DeLuca laid down a sacrifice bunt. Senior Meredith Henze singled to score both runners and put the Pirates ahead for good, 7-5.
The Pirates fell in the first game 5-2, but strong early pitching might have distinguished otherwise.
Junior Sara Haefeli doubled in the second inning to score freshman Valerie Suto, who pinch-ran for DeStaso after she was forced to leave the game after being hit by a pitch. Haefeli's RBI put the Pirates ahead 1-0.
Seton Hall tacked on another run in the fifth inning. Senior Jen Metzger singled and stole second base. She advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt by junior Sam DeMasi and scored on an RBI single by Harrell, putting the Pirates up 2-0.
Seton Hall appeared to be heading towards victory, taking its 2-0 advantage into the sixth inning. Yale, however, had other plans.
Sophomore Brittany Labbadia walked, getting the rally going for the Bulldogs. Senior Tori Balta was then hit by a pitch, advancing Labbadia to second and putting the tying run on base. Junior Hannah Brennan singled, scoring Labbadia to get the Bulldogs on the board and advancing Balta to third base. After a walk by freshman Laina Do to load the bases, a sacrifice fly by sophomore Lauren Delgadillo scored Balta and tied the game at two.
Junior Riley Hughes walked to re-load the bases and end the day for Pirates' starting pitcher, Metzger. Coming on in relief, junior Casey Moses gave up a crushing two-out, two-RBI single by freshman Carolyn McGuire to give Yale 4-2 lead. The Bulldogs added another run on a throwing error that tried to catch McGuire stealing second, scoring Hughes to bring the score to its final tally of 5-2.
Seton Hall's went quietly in the seventh, handing Yale the victory. Metzger (2-3) took the loss for the Pirates, going 5.2 innings while giving up five runs.
The Pirates will return to the field Sunday, March 16, when the team will conclude its trip to Clearwater, Fla. with a matchup with Bryant University. First pitch is scheduled for 11:15 a.m.
David Heim can be reached at david.heim@student.shu.edu.
