St. John's University Athletics
SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH COLUMBIA IN HOME OPENER
4/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sophomore Courtney Fitzgerald pitched a three hitter in the opening game, allowing just one run over seven innings. Fitzgerald struck out nine en route to her third straight victory, her ninth overall on the season. The Lions scored their run in the top half of the first as cleanup hitter Ann Marie Ebner lined an RBI single through the hole at second base to plate leadoff batter Danielle Capece. Fitzgerald was in command for the rest of the game, and even escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth to keep the Lions at bay. In fact, Fitzgerald closed out the game with four straight K's.
The Red Storm got the run back in their half of the first inning as shortstop Tiffany Howerton lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Lisa Tropea, which evened the game at 1-1. Then in the second inning, St. John's took advantage of some Lion miscues to push across three runs and assume a 4-1 lead. Lauren Fisher led off the inning with a double to right-center. She was followed by Jessica Shepherd who reached on a throwing error by the pitcher. The throw got away from the first baseman Ebner and Shepherd was awarded second as Fisher came around to score. Then Jessica Dima hit a ground ball to the shortstop, who also let loose a wild throw which allowed Shepherd to score. Second baseman Alesha Argeras capped the scoring with a two-out basehit to left-center field which scored Dima. Though the Red Storm would muster just two more baserunners for the rest of the game, Fitzgerald kept the Lions off the board for the Red Storm's third win a row.The second game proved to be a pitchers dual as ace Gina Calabrese returned to the mound for the first time in six days due to a back injury. The senior was as sharp as ever in the early going, striking out seven of the first 10 batters she faced. However, one of the batters she faced was Ebner, who jacked a solo homerun to dead center field to give the Lions the early 1-0 lead. The Red Storm didn't have much luck against Columbia picther Katie Zunno, who fanned six batters in the first three innings. But in the bottom of the fourth, Howerton came through again and drove a run-scoring single into center to score Tropea to knot the game at 1-1.
Calabrese didn't allow a baserunner passed second base through the first seven innings and struck out the side in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, first baseman Ann Raab led off with a single to left. Howerton bunted her over to second and Kelly Houghton drew a walk. With Fisher at the plate, both runners moved up a base on a passed ball by the catcher. With two runners in scoring position, Fisher hit a slow roller to the shortstop, who looked both runners back before firing to first just in time to get Fisher for the second out of the inning. Shepherd popped up to short to send the game into extra innings.In the top of the eighth, Annie Hayward, who had made the last out in the top of the seventh for Columbia, was stationed at second base per international tie-breaking rules. After a pop-up to the catcher by Stephanie Reeder, Danielle Capece bunted the runner over to third for the second out of the inning. Then things started to go sour for the Red Storm.
Nikki Campbell hit a slow grounder to the second baseman Argeras, who hurried her throw and pulled Raab off the bag at first, allowing Hayward to score safely and keep the inning alive. Centerfielder April Jarvis then launched the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for a two-run homerun to give the Lions a 4-1 lead. Despite a basehit by Ebner, Calabrese finally stopped the bleeding by getting Zunno on a called strike three.
The Red Storm placed Shepherd at second to start their half of the eighth. Before the Red Storm bench could start their chants, rightfielder Marilyn Brown connected on the first offering from Zunno and lifted a two-run bomb to left field to pull the Red Storm to within 4-3. However, the next three batters were retired in order as the Lions escaped with their tenth victory of the season.
Calabrese took the loss despite a respectable pitching effort. She struck out 12 in eight innings, walked none and allowed just two earned runs on six hits. Her record now stands at 8-9 on the season.
The Red Storm return to Mitchel Field on Saturday April 7 for a noon double header with BIG EAST rival Boston College. The Eagles are 16-14 overall and 1-5 in the league.
