Seton Hall University
Rutgers
Softball Rally at Rutgers Falls Short
4/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2014
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Seton Hall University softball team's rally at Rutgers University came up just short as the Pirates fell to the Scarlet Knights, 6-5, on a blustery Wednesday afternoon at the RU Softball Complex.
With the wind blowing directly out to left field home runs figured to play a role as the game progressed and the two squads combined to send five balls over the fence in left.
The long ball aided Seton Hall's late rally as well. The Pirates entered the final frame trailing 6-2 but managed to pull within one as senior Maria DeLuca (Cedar Grove, N.J.) connected for her first home run of the season, a three-run shot that scored freshman Valerie Suto (Mercerville, N.J.) and junior Casey Moses (Lower Burrell, Pa.).
The inning continued as Danielle DeStaso (Congers, N.Y.) struck out swinging for what appeared to be the final out of the game, but the ball was in the dirt and DeStaso made a heads up play and sprinted to first without a throw down. However, Rutgers' pitcher Alyssa Landrith was able to field a Meredith Henze (Elkton, Md.) grounder up the middle to end the game.
The first inning saw Seton Hall and Rutgers trade solo home runs. DeStaso started things off by leaving the park with two outs in the top of the first, and Jackie Bates answered that with a home run in the bottom half of the inning.
The third home run of the game came off the bat of Rutgers' designated player Danielle DeMarco as she gave the Scarlet Knights a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.
Rutgers stretched its lead to 4-1 by scoring two runs on four hits in the third and the Pirates had a great chance to cut into their deficit in the top of the fourth but were unable to take advantage of placing runners at second and third with one out. In the top of the fifth Seton Hall did start to rally as sophomore catcher Alex Rabbetts (Corona, Calif.) led off with home run, her first of the season.
The Scarlet Knights seemed to be on the verge of breaking the game open in the bottom half of the inning but SHU reliever Casey Moses pitched her way out of a jam. Rutgers had already scored twice and had runners on second and third with a 6-2 lead when Moses struck out Jordan Whitley and Elizabeth Adams to end the threat.
A heads up defensively play prevented another RU run to end the sixth. The Scarlet Knights had runners at first and third with two outs and unsuccessfully attempted a double steal thanks to a great play at the plate by catcher Kaylyn Sanbower (Etters, Pa.). Alexis Durando attempted to steal second, drawing a throw from Sanbower, but DeLuca cut it off in front of second and immediately threw home where Sanbower made a tag as Bates collided with her at the plate holding on to the ball.
DeStaso had a multi-hit day for the Hall, going 2-for-4 but she also fell to 3-5 on the mound, starting and giving up four runs in 2.2 innings with a strikeout. In 3.1 innings of relief, Moses gave allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Seton Hall returns to action this Saturday-Sunday, April 12-13, when it hosts Creighton University for a three-game series at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field in South Orange, N.J. Saturday's doubleheader will start at 12 p.m., with the finale scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m.
