The softball team (12-28) dropped the series finale with St. John's, 5-4, Saturday despite a three-run home run from junior Sara Haefeli.
Haefli, whose third home run of the season came in the second inning, seemed as if it could have been enough to propel the Pirates, who were led by junior pitcher Danielle DeStaso, to victory.
DeStaso held the Red Storm offense in check for the first three innings, allowing just one run.
It was the fourth inning that proved to cost Seton Hall the shot at the series win. Freshman Monique Landini led off the inning with a single. Sophomore Yvonne Rericha reached on a fielding error by senior second baseman Maria DeLuca, moving Landini to second base in the process. The bases were then loaded on a pinch-hit single by junior MacKenna Neuroth. A single by junior Ellen Czuba advanced the runners, bringing Landini in to score to bring the score to 3-2 Pirates. Senior Jackie Reed followed up with a single of her own, bringing in two more runs to give St. John's a 4-3 advantage.
Seton Hall would answer right back in the fifth inning. DeStaso walked to begin the inning, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice with senior Meredith Henze reaching. Junior Whitney Jones would follow up with a double trying to score Henze from first, but Henze was thrown out at the plate. Jones would advance to third on the throw. Sophomore Jackie DiPietro would eventually give Seton Hall the run it needed, scoring Henze on a single to center field to bring the score to a 4-4 tie.
The score would remain tied at four until the bottom of the sixth, when the Red Storm scored the eventual winning run. Robles singled to start the rally. Robles would advance all the way to third on a single by Czuba and a throwing error by sophomore catcher Faith Laudano. Robles would later come home to score on a fielder's choice hit by junior Erin Burner.
With the score now 5-4 St. John's, Seton Hall was unable to muster another comeback in its final at bat. The Pirates did have a runner in scoring position, but Haefeli grounded into a double play to end the comeback attempt and the ballgame.
With the loss, Seton Hall levels off at 7-7 in the Big East, with five teams fighting for the final three spots in the Big East Tournament.
The Pirates will return to action on Monday and Tuesday, April 21-22 at Villanova. The games are makeups from a rainout last month. The three-game set begins with a doubleheader at Villanova on Monday, with game one at 1 p.m. and game two at 3 p.m. The series finale is slated for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
David Heim can be reached at david.heim@student.shu.edu.
