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Seton Hall Athletics[/caption]
The Seton Hall University softball team fell to conference-leading St. John's University on Sunday, 4-0, at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field. The Pirates now drop to 17-24, 6-8, on the year.
It was a pitching duel between the Pirates’ Danielle DeStaso and the Red Storm’s Tori Free for the majority of the matchup. DeStaso bounced back after giving up five runs in the first game of the series on Saturday afternoon. The senior went five and a third innings while only giving up two earned runs and striking out five on Sunday.
“I just had to make a few minor adjustments coming off of yesterday,” DeStaso said after the game. “We knew that their three and four hitters have been hitting well all year and we knew that we had to go at them with a purpose.”
DeStaso was certainly in control of the game as it was scoreless going into the top of the sixth, but then St. John’s was able to scratch a few runs across.
Hannah Anderson led off the inning with a line-drive double to right center field for the Red Storm and advanced to third base on a ground ball the next at bat. Krystal Puga was able to drive Anderson in on fielder’s choice. Following a walk centerfielder, Brittany Garcia drove in the second run of the game on a single to center field and that was the last batter DeStaso faced on the afternoon.
Sophomore, Lauren Fischer, came on in relief of DeStaso and was able to escape the rest of that sixth inning unscathed.
Junior outfielder, Yasmin Harrell and freshman, Alexis Walkden, were both able to get singles in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Hall could not capitalize and left both stranded. The Pirates only managed to get five hits on the afternoon, two coming from DeStaso.
“Knowing that Tori Free is a drop ball pitcher really helped me out today at the plate,” DeStaso stated. “I was able to move up in the box and get comfortable, but we just couldn’t get to her as a team.”
Free threw a complete game and stifled the Pirates all day long as she struck out five and only gave out one walk. St. John’s was able to add on another two runs in the top of the seventh to make the contest 4-0.
DeStaso was able to get on in the bottom of the seventh, but she was left stranded on base as the game ended.
The Hall will look to bounce back with a non-conference double-header on Tuesday afternoon, first pitch is scheduled at 2:30 p.m.
Christian Pierre-Louis can be reached at christian.pierrelouis@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @CPLouis_
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