Seton Hall University
New Mexico State
Hall Falls to Aggies in UNLV Eller Media Opener
2/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 28, 2014
LAS VEGAS, NEV. - The Seton Hall University softball team's late comeback attempt against New Mexico State fell short as the Pirates lost to the Aggies, 14-5, in the first game of the UNLV Eller Media Classic on Friday afternoon in Las Vegas, Nev.
Seton Hall was scheduled to come back to the diamond to face Binghamton later on Friday, but the second half of the day's action was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Pirates will now return to action on Saturday, March 1, against Weber State at approximately 1:30 p.m. (PT), and play two on Sunday, facing Binghamton at 9 a.m. and UNLV at 3:45 p.m. (PT)
The Seton Hall bats finally came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning against New Mexico State but the five runs on five hits the Pirates were able to manufacture was not enough to extend the game. The Aggies staked claim to a 2-0 lead thanks to solo home runs in each of the first two innings, but really opened up their lead with five runs in the third.
New Mexico State entered the game with a 10-6 record but as winners of eight of its last nine matchups and the Aggie offense combined for seven home runs in the win, two apiece from Fiana Finau and Staci Rodriguez; Finau is the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week after hitting .545 with two homers last weekend.
Junior Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to left field and moved up to third following a Lauren Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) single through the left side. With two runners in scoring position sophomore Faith Laudano (Islip, N.Y.) came up with an RBI base hit to the gap in left center, bringing Sheldon across the plate.
Seton Hall's four other runs all came on the same play, one in which the Aggies were credited with three throwing errors in succession. Sophomore Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) singled up the middle to score Fischer from third, and Laudano made it two SHU runs on the play when she benefitted from an errant throw from center field.
Two more throwing errors, one each to New Mexico State's catcher and pitcher enabled Seton Hall to clear the bases as junior Whitney Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) and Harrell also scored on the sequence.
The Pirates saw one more base hit come from sophomore Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) but that was end of the big fifth-inning rally.
Laudano hit 1-for-2 with an RBI while Jones reached twice via a pair of walks and scored once. Junior Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) started and pitcher and fell to 1-2 with the loss.
