The softball team (12-27) split a doubleheader with St. John's Thursday, losing game one, 14-0, and winning the second game, 3-2, behind a complete game from junior Danielle DeStaso.
In game two, the Pirates pitching was finally able to keep the Red Storm bats at bay, with DeStaso allowing just two runs and seven hits with four strikeouts. The win moves her to 6-5 on the season and improves her earned run average to 2.22 in Big East games.
St. John's rode a hot offensive start to a 14-0 victory in game one, scoring six runs in each of the first two innings to pick up the win. Tori Free threw five innings giving up one hit for the Red Storm.
The Pirates' offensive attack started in the first inning with sophomore Yasmin Harrell leading off the frame with a double. Harrell advanced to third on a bunt by senior Maria DeLuca and later came home to score on a sacrifice fly to centerfield off the bat of DeStaso.
The Pirates tacked on another run in the second inning when sophomore Jackie DiPietro singled to left field and advanced to second after a fielding error by the left fielder. DePietro advanced to third on a groundout by junior Colltey Sheldon, and later scored on a wild pitch giving Seton Hall an early 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, a home run by DeStaso stretched that lead to 3-0. It was her seventh homerun of the season.
St. John's, who was shut down by DeStaso all game, finally got on the board in the sixth inning. The rally started with a single up the middle by senior Jackie Reed. Junior Erin Burner walked to move Reed to second, which set up an RBI opportunity for freshman Kaitlin Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald singled to right field to plate the Red Storm's first run of the game. DeStaso walked freshman Brittany Garcia to load the bases, but managed to strike out freshman Monique Landini to get out of the jam.
St. John's went right back to work in the seventh and final at-bat, starting with back-to-back singles by senior Kelsey Moyer and sophomore Yvonne Rericha. DeStaso would get two quick outs before surrendering a single to Reed, which scored Moyer. On the play, Reed attempted to stretch a single into a double, but a strong throw by junior Sara Haefeli gunned Reed out at second, ending the game and sealing the victory.
Game one was all St. John's. In a shortened game due to mercy rule, the Pirates found themselves in a 12-0 hole after two innings, giving up six runs in the first inning and six more in the second.
Senior Jen Metzger took the hill for Seton Hall, giving up six runs and five hits while facing just six batters. She did not manage to record an out.
The relief help was not much better for the Pirates as junior Casey Moses surrendered another five runs in eight batters faced. Freshman Lauren Fischer was the most productive of the game's pitchers, giving up three runs in 18 batters faced.
St. John's sophomore pitcher Tori Free was in complete dominance in the win, going five innings, striking out seven while giving up just one hit. DiPietro got the lone hit on the day for the Pirates with her infield single in the second inning.
The two-game split moves the Pirates to 6-5 in conference.
The two teams will meet for the rubber game of the three-game set on Saturday, April 19, in Queens, N.Y. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
David Heim can be reached at david.heim@student.shu.edu.
