The Seton Hall softball team split its double-header at home Friday afternoon against Lehigh, falling 8-4 in the first match and then coming back with a 5-4 win thanks to a three-run walk-off homerun by Janae Barracato in the final game.
Barracato’s lone hit of the second game came at a pivotal moment for Seton Hall, as the Pirates were down 4-2 against the Mountain Hawks. Jaden Tate doubled to left center and then Katherine Matthys drew a walk while pinch hitting for Ragen Reddick. Barracato was next to bat for the Pirates and lifted them to victory with her three-run blast to right center to secure the win.
The Pirates didn’t see any offensive production until the fourth inning when Baylee Allender tied the game at two with a home to right field, scoring Marisa Pla. The Mountain Hawks added two insurance runs in the seventh after scoring in the first and third innings, but it was not enough to counter Barracato’s walk-off blast.
In the first match, the Pirates also allowed Lehigh to get to an early offensive start as the Mountain Hawks had seven runs through the first four frames. All of these runs were credited to Reganne Camp who had the start on the mound for Seton Hall but only lasted two innings.
Seton Hall could not find much of an offensive rhythm outside of Destini Peck, who had all four runs credited to her. In the bottom of the second, Peck’s two-out homer to center field gave the Pirates their first runs of the game. She followed up with a two-run double to right field in the fourth, but the rest of the Pirates’ squad was not able to match her offensive efforts.
The Pirates’ next games are on Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. when they take on Saint Peter’s at home.
Andrea Keppler can be reached at andrea.keppler@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @keppler_andrea.
