Seton Hall
Pirates Split Doubleheader with Northern Kentucky, Lehigh
Date: March 10, 2018By: Wilnir Louis
After dropping their last two games on Friday, Seton Hall softball split their doubleheader on Saturday with a 11-7 loss to the Northern Kentucky Norse and a 4-3 win versus the Lehigh Mountain Hawk, were extra innings were needed.
In the morning game of the doubleheader, the Pirates could not find their rhythm early on. Northern Kentucky got to Alannah Basile early. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the top of the first after a 2RBI double from Madi Mulder. The Hall responded back with a RBI of their own from Brianna Wallace at the bottom of the first. That would be the only run for Seton Hall within the first six innings.
Northern Kentucky continued to increase their lead. They had a 4-1 lead after the second inning, a 6-1 lead at the end of the fourth inning, an 8-1 lead after sixth innings and an 11-1 lead at the bottom of the seventh. However, Seton Hall did not go down without a fight.
Following Baylee Allender striking out early in the bottom of the seventh, the hits and runs started to pour in for the Pirates. Emily Supercynski began the rally with a single down centerfield. Ensuing that Chrisa Head hit a homer down centerfield to cut the deficit to 11-3. Succeeding the homer, Darby Pandolfo hit a double and Janae Barracato doubled for an RBI. A Northern Kentucky error lead to a single for Brianna and a 3-run homer for Alexis Walkden. This cut the Norse's lead to 11-7. At this point, Northern Kentucky put in their closer Ashlynn Roberts, and she gave Northern Kentucky the two outs they need to end the game.
In the Pirates afternoon game, they jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI by Payton Beaver after a single and a stolen base by Brianna. Lehigh then took control in the bottom of the second after a 2-run hit by Mary-Hannah Smith and a 1-run hit by Reva Alderman to make the Pirates defecit 3-1. Seton Hall then ended the inning with a tremendous diving catch in centerfield that kept two runs off the board.
After that, great pitching by both Reganne Camp and Emily Sorem kept the score at 3-1. Until the seventh inning. In that span, Camp gave up three hits and struck out three batters.
At the top of the sixth is when the Pirates tied up the game. With the bases loaded, Janae ran two batters in before she was grounded out for the third out. Reganne gave up no hits in the seventh inning to bring the ball game into extra inning.
In the bottom of the eight, Lehigh was in scoring opportunity for most of the game. The Mountain Hawks had the bases loaded with only one out. However, a strikeout and a ground out faltered their walk off chances. There was more of the same for both teams in the ninth inning.
The tenth inning is where the Pirates finally pulled away. With the international tiebreaker in effect, Payton Beaver brought home Janae with a single hit down center field. This gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead, which they took into the bottom of the tenth. In the bottom of the tenth, the bases was loaded with two outs for Alderman and the Lehigh Moutain Hawks. However, a great play by the Pirates lead to a ground out at first base that secured the victory for Seton Hall.
The Pirates look to ride their momentum into Sunday, where they play their final game of the Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Florida against the Central Michigan Chippewas at 9 a.m.
Wilnir Louis can be reached at wilnir.louis@student.shu.edu.
