Softball Swept by DePaul to End Season

Kealan Waldron had four hits on Sunday, including her second homer in two days, to finish the year strong

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall softball team will not play in the BIG EAST Championship for the first time in four years after DePaul came from behind twice to sweep the Pirates on Sunday at Ivy Hill Park. SHU led 2-1 after five innings before losing 6-2 in game one, then led 2-1 after five in the nightcap, eventually succumbing 4-2 in 10 innings. The Pirates finish the season with a 29-27 overall record and a 7-15 mark in the BIG EAST.

The Pirates entered the day needing to sweep just to have a chance to make the eight-team BIG EAST Tournament (May 11-14, South Bend, Ind.). Instead, there will be a new league champion as the Pirates will not be able to defend their two titles won in 2004 and 2005.

Seton Hall received strong pitching performances in both games but the Blue Demons (32-21, 13-9 BIG EAST) eventually broke through in the late innings. In game one, freshman Kim Schweitzer (Syracuse, N.Y.) ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing a homer, two doubles and three runs as DePaul erased a 2-1 deficit to take a 4-2 lead. Two more runs came home in the seventh, both charged to Schweitzer. She fell to 12-10 and finished with 6.1 innings, seven hits, six runs (four earned), one walk and no strikeouts. In game two, junior Jessica Jones (Tyler, Texas) pitched five strong innings but had to leave during the first at-bat of the sixth due to a hand injury. She gave up just one run on five hits up to that point, but her reliever, freshman Ashley Arnett (Saugus, Calif.), promptly gave up two singles and a walk before sophomore Maura Lund (Oak Park, Ill.) replaced her and got out of the no-out jam with only one run coming home. Lund hung tough through four more innings before DePaul finally scored twice in the 10th on a walk, sacrifice, RBI single and successful suicide squeeze. She fell to 3-2.

In game one, the Pirates got on the board first when senior Akoua Lonergan (Allentown, Pa.) walked, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice and came home on a sacrifice fly to center by senior shortstop Katie Pierce (Pittsfield, Mass.). DePaul tied it in the top of the fifth, but the Pirates retook the lead quickly in the bottom of the inning when freshman third baseman Kealan Waldron (Oak Park, Ill.) hit her second homer of the season and second in two days to deep centerfield. Waldron was 1-for-3 in game one and 3-for-5 in game two with a double and two singles. Sophomore outfielder Jenna Best (Medford, N.J.) went 3-for-3 in game one, accounting for three of the team’s four total hits off of winning pitcher Stephanie Blagaich (7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K).

Pierce hit her ninth homer of the season in the bottom of the third in game two, giving Seton Hall a 1-0 lead. DePaul again tied it in the fifth, but the Pirates got back ahead in the bottom of the inning. Pierce doubled with two outs and went to third when Best reached on an error. Best stole second and DePaul catcher Jackie Tarulli-Fisher tried to pick off Pierce at third. Amber Patton could not catch the ball and it skirted down the left field line as Pierce came home.

The Pirates had 11 hits in game two and stranded 11 runnners on base. Senior outfielder Caitlin White (Lincoln University, Pa.) went 3-for-4 and Pierce was 2-for-3 with a homer, RBI and two runs scored.

Pierce, Lonergan, White, catcher Anne Leone (Norwalk, Conn.) and first baseman Jessica Schulien (Pequannock, N.J.) were all honored on Sunday in their final home games. The quintet led Seton Hall to 146 wins in their four years, an average of over 36 per season, as well as two league championships and two NCAA berths. Pierce finished her career as Seton Hall’s all-time leader in hits, doubles, runs scored and games played.

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