Seton Hall University
Villanova
Pirates Sweep Doubleheader at Villanova
4/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2014
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
VILLANOVA, PA. - The Seton Hall University softball team picked up a pair of critical BIG EAST victories, sweeping a doubleheader at Villanova University on Monday afternoon to gain sole possession of second place in the conference standings as the race for the BIG EAST Tournament begins to take shape.
The Pirates outlasted Villanova 5-4 in nine innings to take game one and the Hall rode a hot offensive start that included six runs in the second inning to take game two, 10-2.
Junior Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) picked up a complete game win on the mound in game one while sophomore Jackie DiPietro (Horsham, Pa.) went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, the game-winner in the ninth.
A six-run second inning made the difference in the game two win as the Pirates took a big early lead and never looked back. Seton Hall erupted for 14 hits in the eight run win, led by catcher Faith Laudano (Islip, N.Y.) batting 2-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored. Junior Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) threw a complete game to come away with the win, her second of the season and first in BIG EAST play.
Seton Hall 5, Villanova 4 (9)
Game one was the first extra-inning contest of the season for Seton Hall and the first BIG EAST matchup to head to extras since the Pirates grabbed a 4-3 win in 11 innings at Villanova on May 5, 2012.
Twice in that opening contest the Pirates grabbed two-run leads only to see Villanova come right back to tie things up. Finally in the top of the ninth Seton Hall manufactured what proved to be the game winner without eliciting a response from the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning.
DiPietro led off the SHU half of the ninth with a double to left field, a ball that appeared to be a routine fly out off the bat, but Aleshia Ayers lost it in the sun and the Pirates had the go-ahead run at second. Junior Colltey Sheldon (Peoria, Ariz.) sacrificed her over to third, setting the table for sophomore Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.), who capitalized with a deep fly ball to center field, allowing DiPietro to tag and score easily from third.
DeStaso retired the first two batters she faced in the ninth before Villanova attempted one final rally. Lauren Herschberg doubled to right center to keep the Wildcats alive but senior Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) made a spectacular play at third to end the game, hitting the deck to snag a line drive down the line for the final out.
Three straight base hits to start the game fueled the Pirates' fast start offensively. Villanova starter Kate Poppe appeared to be on her way to working out of the first inning trouble, striking out junior Whitney Jones (Skowhegan, Maine) and Henze, before DiPietro came through with a two-RBI single to center field, scoring Yasmin Harrell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) and Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.).SHU went 11-for-38 as a team against Poppe, who entered the game with a 1.89 earned run average while limited the opposition to a .174 average.
After hitting Herschberg to lead off the `Nova half of the first, DeStaso settled in on the mound to retire eight-straight before finding trouble in the third. A hit, a walk, and a hit batter loaded the bases, and another walk brought Ayers home from third. Sierra McConnell tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Herschberg on the play, but DeStaso eventually escaped the inning by striking out Ali Angelbello.
Seton Hall registered a double in the second, third and fourth innings, but the Pirates were only able to capitalize on the opportunity in the fourth. DeLuca powered a double to center field, a ball that Shea Palmer appeared to make a play on, going over her shoulder to attempt the catch, but she lost control of the ball as it bounced off the fence. Two batters later Jones smashed a double to right center, plating two as the Pirates regained two-run lead, 4-2.
Villanova tied things up for a second time in the bottom of the fifth. Chase Snell singled into left with two outs and McConnell homered for the fourth time this season, driving in two with a blast to left center, just out of the reach of Haefeli who leapt into the fence trying to make a play.
DeStaso, who threw her fifth complete game over the past nine days, allowed four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in improving her overall record to 7-6. She was also 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored. DeLuca finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored and Henze hit 2-for-5.
Seton Hall 10, Villanova 2
Sheldon and DeStaso delivered the big base hits during Seton Hall's six-run second inning that broke open game two in the early going, a rally that was aided by two Villanova errors in the field that led to four of those runs being credited as unearned.
With Jones and DiPietro in scoring position, DiPietro via an errant throw to first on a sacrifice bunt attempt, Sheldon doubled to left field to give her team a 2-1 lead with one out. Sophomore Faith Laudano (Islip, N.Y.) and DeLuca were on base thanks to a couple of base hits when DeStaso tripled to right field.
The three bagger was the first of her career and only the third of the season for Seton Hall. A hard hit ball that was tailing away from Ayers in right field, she was unable to make the play as she slid to attempt the catch, resulting in the multi-base two-RBI strike. DeStaso scored just moments later thanks to a Henze single to left.
That was all the cushion junior Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.) would need en route to her second victory of the season and first in BIG EAST play. Moses allowed just one earned run on six hits over seven innings with three strikeouts.
Seton Hall added another run in the third as Laudano drove in DiPietro after she reached with a leadoff base hit to left. Any hope of a comeback attempt was dashed in the seventh when the Pirates tacked three more runs onto their lead.
Henze went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the win and Sheldon was 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored. Nine of the 11 Pirates to record at least one at-bat picked up a base hit as the 14 hits were the most for SHU in a BIG EAST game this season and tied for the most against any foe, matching the output against UMass Lowell set all the way back on Feb. 9.
Seton Hall and Villanova will play game three of the series on Tuesday, April 22, in Villanova, Pa. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
