The Seton Hall softball team defeated the Virginia Cavaliers on Sunday morning, 9-7, to close out the UNC Greensboro Invitational in Greensboro, N.C.
Down by one before even going up to bat, the Pirates responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first off of Alexis Walkden’s fourth home run of the year, and never gave up the lead from there. Each time Virginia scored in the top half of the inning – excluding the seventh where Seton Hall did not come up to bat – the Pirates had a response offensively.
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Photo via SHU Athletics[/caption]
Reganne Camp started on the mound for the Hall for the second straight day, striking out four Virginia players through 5.1 innings.
In the first inning, Virginia was able to score one run, but Camp recovered by striking out the final batter of the inning, thereby giving her Pirates a chance to even things in the bottom half of the inning.
Payton Beaver put the Pirates in scoring position with a bunt single that propelled Sara Foster to second base. From there, Alexis Walkden hit a three-run home run and gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead.
Seton Hall’s defense was tried in the second and third, but due to a number of smart fielder’s choices from Foster and Walkden, the Hall got out of both innings with no runs allowed. In the top of the fourth, though, a throwing error by Camp allowed Virginia to score, thereby cutting the Hall’s lead to 3-2.
One again, though, Seton Hall had a response to letting up a run in the bottom half of the inning. Prukop led off for the Hall with a double, and Foster followed her with a single. With players on first and third, Beaver singled, sending Prukop home to score.
Brianna Wallace then entered the game to pinch run for Beaver, and shortly after, Wallace and Foster stole second and third base, setting up a scoring opportunity when Arteaga and Barracato came up to the plate. Arteaga singled to right field and scored Foster, and then Barracato drove Wallace home with her second single of the game, extending the Pirates lead to 6-2.
Virginia was able to tack on a homerun in the top of the fifth that cut Seton Hall’s lead in half, but in the bottom half, the Pirates were able to increase their lead once again.
Prukop continued to have a productive game with a double, which allowed Emily Supercynski to score after Supercynski singled and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Beaver then collected an RBI when her groundout allowed Prukop to score.
Virginia added on two more runs in the top of the sixth, which led Charisa Head to come in and relieve Camp on the mound. The Pirates headed into the bottom of the inning with an 8-5 lead.
After Arteaga singled and advance to third on a passed ball and groundout in the sixth inning, the sophomore Arteaga scored due to a wild pitch, giving the Pirates a four-run lead.
Virginia was unable to come back in the seventh, despite notching two unearned runs after a fielding error by Foster.
Arteaga and Barracato went 3-for-4 and each had one RBI in Seton Hall’s victory over Virginia.
The win improves Seton Hall to 7-6 and completes a 3-2 weekend in Greensboro. Next up for the Hall is a trip to Madeira Beach, Fla. for the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, which will begin on Friday, Mar. 2.
Brittany Tomore can be reached at brittany.tomore@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @BrittTomore.
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