Following the split of Saturday's doubleheader against Marist College, both Coach Paige Smith and shortstop Brittany Hammer noted that striking first and getting the hitting going earlier was something the team needed to improve on, and that's exactly what they did on Sunday.
The Seton Hall softball team had a doubleheader scheduled at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., emerging victorious in game one 14-10, while game two was suspended.
The doubleheader featured winds of over 40 mph and strong gusts in the top of the second inning of game two, a game that the Pirates were leading 3-0, caused damage to the outfield fence, forcing play to be suspended. A makeup date is yet to be determined.
The first game was also plagued by the winds, but it could not stop the bats of the Pirates.
Seton Hall hit the ground running with freshman Yasmin Harrell reaching base on a bunt single to third, which she then followed up by stealing second and third base. A Danielle DeStaso sacrifice fly to right was enough to bring in Harrell for the first run of the game. Junior Maria DeLuca knocked in a RBI with a single up the middle later that inning.
The Pirates seized a strong grip of the game in the third inning when they added on four more runs, two of which were scored by stealing home, extending their lead to 6-0.
Siena put themselves on the board in the bottom half of the third with two runs, but the Pirates punished them in the fourth inning with their second consecutive four run inning, to take a 10-2 lead.
The Saints could only answer with one run of their own in their half of the inning, and the Hall cancelled out their opposition's run with one of their own in the top of the fifth. Siena came roaring back in their half of the same inning, scoring six important runs to put them right back in the game, cutting the margin to 11-9.
Freshman Sara Haefeli made sure the game wasn't close for long, hitting a two-run home run out to rightfield, the second of her career. DeStaso let up one more run in the bottom of the sixth before being relieved by sophomore Casey Moses who would pitch the final 1.2 innings.
The Pirates added one final run in the seventh and Moses retired every batter every batter she faced to hand Seton Hall the 14-10 win over the Saints.
DeStaso (11-8) was credited the win and Casey Moses (1) was awarded her first save of the year. The biggest standout of the day was sophomore Sara Haefeli who had a career day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with five RBI's and a home run. She also had a two-RBI double in the postponed second game.
The Pirates improved 13-19 (1-7) on the season, and are back in action this week as they begin a five-game home stand. They first face an important three-game series against in-conference foe Pittsburgh on Saturday, and then finish with a double header on Tuesday against Hofstra.
Christopher Orihuela can be reached at Christopher.orihuela@student.shu.edu.
