In an effort fueled by offense, the Seton Hall softball team was able to overcome a Holy Cross comeback to win, 7-4, in the team’s final game in the Fordham Tournament in the Bronx, N.Y.
Offense was suppressed on both sides until the third inning, when Holy Cross senior Gabby Muniz scored on a Jackie Brewster single off of Pirates starter Madison Strunk.
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Photo via SHU Athletics[/caption]
Strunk, who pitched the whole game for the Pirates, provided a solid effort for her team. Over the eight innings that she pitched, Strunk allowed four runs and ten hits.
The Pirates answered back in the sixth inning, when Darby Pandolfo grounded into a fielder’s choice to drive in Hailey Arteaga, tying the game at one apiece.
The tie would not last long, though, as the Crusaders struck again in the bottom of the inning. Taylor Moss – who reached base because of a throwing error by Pirates shortstop Emily Supercynski – drove in Mandy McCarthy with a single to right field.
Staring down a loss in the seventh inning, the Pirates showed true grit, as the offense buckled down and delivered when it mattered most. Sara Foster set the tone for the inning by leading off with a bunt single to reach base, and later scored to tie the game on an RBI-double by Arteaga.
Arteaga advanced to third on a Baylee Allender single in the following at bat, and then scored following a wild pitch. With the Pirates up 3-2, Supercynski laced a double to left-center, driving in Allender to open the lead to 4-2.
Needing their own fighting spirit to continue the game, the Crusaders mustered a similar two-run burst in the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice-fly brought the game within one, and McCarthy knotted the game at four with an RBI-single, sending the affair to extra innings.
The strong offense carried into extra innings for the Pirates, as they continued their scoring barrage against Holy Cross. The Pirates got the lead straight away, as a single by Janae Barracato drove in Pandolfo, who was placed on second base to start extra innings per NCAA rules. Payton Beaver then drove in both Barracato and Sara Foster, who had walked in the at-bat before. This put the Pirates ahead, 7-4, and they wouldn’t look back from there.
The victory over the Crusaders gave the Pirates a win in the Fordham Tournament, as they finish the weekend 1-3. Seton Hall improved its record to 13-15 on the season with the result, and will be back in action on Tuesday, March 20 at 2 p.m., with the Pirates set to welcome Central Connecticut State to Mike Sheppard Sr. Field for their first home game of the season.
Dalton Allison can be reached at Dalton.allison@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @DaltonAllison4.
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