Fueled by an eight-run fourth inning that included Chelsea Canyon’s first home run as a Pirate, Seton Hall was able to cruise past Saint Peter’s at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field on Saturday by a score of 11-2 in five innings as part of the Inaugural Pirate Invitational.
Seton Hall (12-9-1) has now won its third game in the past two days after recording two wins on Friday. The Pirates racked up 11 total hits and had three players who recorded multiple RBI’s, including Canyon and Destini Peck, who had three apiece. Freshman starting pitcher Mo Sobel also picked up her second win of the season while throwing her first complete game as a Pirate, striking out six over five innings and allowing just two earned runs and a walk.
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Photo via SHU Athletics[/caption]
“I just focused on rolling up ground balls because I know my defense will get the outs,” Sobel said. “I feel a lot more comfortable and I know the team has my back, so it’s only up from here.”
Saint Peter’s scored a run in each of the first two innings, including one on a home run from Kat Donovan, but Seton Hall had an answer each time. A fielder’s choice brought home Sara Foster in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1, and then Foster delivered a RBI double to center field to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second. Seton Hall took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third on a RBI single from Peck into left field, scoring Darby Pandolfo. Seton Hall scored in every inning of Saturday’s contest.
The turning point in this one came in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Pirates got six consecutive batters on base to fuel the big inning. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Peck and then a two-RBI single from Lent brought the game to 6-2. The next batter, Canyon, drilled the ball to deep left field, hitting the scoreboard in the process to give the team a 9-2 lead. RBI knocks from Ragen Reddick and Joelle Arrante pushed the Pirates up past the mercy rule.
“As soon as I saw the pitch I knew that it was the right one,” Canyon said. “I was struggling a bit before so it was nice to get back, and my coaches and the players were so confident in me and when I saw the pitch I knew what to do.”
Head coach Paige Smith was pleased with the team’s effort despite facing near-freezing temperatures.
“Today was on the edge for what we were allowed to play in so I think the conditions just make us tougher, and I’ll take toughness over talent any day,” Smith said.
The Hall will finish up play at the Pirate Invitational on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. when it faces Hartford at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field.
Matt Lamb can be reached at matthew.lamb@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @MattS_lamb.
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