St. John's University Athletics
Red Storm Hosts Fairfield In Wednesday Doubleheader
3/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2006
QUEENS, N.Y. -
RED STORM HOSTS FAIRFIELD IN WEDNESDAY DOUBLEHEADER
• The St. John's softball team will host Fairfield in a non-conference doubleheader, Wednesday, March 29. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
• School Spirit and Athletic Marketing are sponsoring a BBQ in between Wednesday's games, which will be free of charge to all in attendance.
• The all-time series between St. John's and Fairfield dates back to the 1988 season. The Fairfield Stags won a pair of games on St. John's home field, 2-1 and 9-0.
• St. John's holds a 13-10 advantage over Fairfield. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Red Storm split a pair of road games, winning 8-2 before taking a 7-1 loss.
ST. JOHN'S CLOSES OUT BIG EAST WEEKEND WITH WIN OVER SYRACUSE
• St. John's split its doubleheader with Syracuse, losing the first game 5-0. In game two, the Red Storm charged from behind in the fourth inning to tie the score and had at least two hits over the final three to secure a 7-4 win.
• Freshman Roxann Struble made her first hit of the day count when her two RBI double tied the score. Senior Jo Sherlock closed the door on the game with an RBI double of her own, making the score 7-4.
• Lisa Geer pitched a combined 8.1 innings over the two games and posted a 1.68 ERA. The sophomore fanned five and gave up only two earned runs.
RED STORM PICKS UP FIRST BIG EAST WIN OF THE SEASON AGAINST PITTSBURGH
• A seven run sixth inning helped St. John's secure its first conference victory of the season. The game had been close up until the top of the sixth with Pittsburgh holding a 4-2 lead. Freshman Lauren Lupinetti put the Red Storm on the board when she belted a solo home run during her first at bat. It was her sixth of the season.
• Loren Anguiano started the late rally with a two run home run over the center field fence. She drove in freshman Melissa Pilley, who was pinch running for Lupinetti. For Pilley, it was her first collegiate run scored.
• The next four batters were walked or singled as Pittsburgh's pitcher Meghan Bostick continued to struggle. Before the end of the sixth, senior Jo Sherlock posted her fourth home run of the season, a three run shot over the fence in right center field to make the score 9-4.
• Kim Lerch started in game one, allowing four runs over four innings, none earned. Sophomore Lisa Geer pitched the final three innings, picking up her sixth win of the season.
• In game two, Pittsburgh's offense distributed runs over the third, fourth and fifth to earn its first home win of the season, 5-2.
Lisa Geer NAMED BIG EAST PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore Lisa Geer earned BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of March 20-26. It is the first time Geer has been recognized by the conference and the sixth consecutive week a Red Storm softball player has been honored by the BIG EAST.
• Geer started last week out tossing her first career no hitter against Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday. In game one of the doubleheader, she struck out eight of the 18 batters she faced and picked up her first win of the week in a shortened five inning outing.
• Her second win came against Pittsburgh in St. John's BIG EAST conference opener this past Saturday. Geer threw three innings of hitless relief against the Panthers, striking out three on her way to her first BIG EAST win of the season.
• In more conference action against Syracuse on Sunday, Geer came in as relief in game one and pitched 5.1 innings while allowing only one earned run. She got the nod to start in game two and again allowed only one earned run off of three hits.
• Overall, Geer posted a 1.17 ERA over 18 innings and allowed 11 hits and three earned runs while striking out 19.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• Before taking a 5-0 loss to Syracuse on Sunday, March 26, the Red Storm was undefeated on its home field, winning six straight games. The streak marked the second best home start in school history. The 2003 team strung together nine consecutive home wins under the direction of Melody Cope.
• The Red Storm's starting lineup has taken the the term "home field advantage" to a new level as five player are hitting better than .400 in games played at Red Storm Field. Jo Sherlock boasts a .522 batting average in home contests and a .696 slugging percentage.
• On the mound, Lisa Geer and Jessica Foley are both undefeated while Kim Learch has taken one loss. The pitchers have kept opponents to a .238 batting average with a 1.98 ERA.
LUCKY NUMBER 7
• St. John's posted seven straight wins, including its first victory of the BIG EAST season before Pittsburgh snapped the streak in game two of the doubleheader.
• The seven game win streak is the longest since 1990 and is the fourth best in program history. The 1988 and `90 teams both recorded nine while the `85 team also had seven.
• Seven consecutive wins is a career high for head coach Debbie DeJong.
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD
• Fairfield defeated Long Island University 7-5 on Sunday, March 26 to give head coach Julie Brzezinski her 500th career win.
• Erin Frank was the key offensive player in the victory with three hits, four RBI, a double, and a three run home run in the seventh inning to seal the win.
• Tara Hansen also hit a homer in the win. Her solo shot in the first inning put Fairfield up 1-0.
• In the circle, Cagney Rignalda improved her record to a perfect 6-0 and allowed only three earned runs in a complete game.
• Rignalda is one of the team leaders both offensively and on the mound. She boasts a 2.21 ERA over 31.2 innings and has walked two while striking out 11. At the plate, her .396 batting average is a team best. She also has 21 hits, 13 runs, three doubles and eight RBI.
• Julia Jacoby leads the team with 25 hits and has five extra base hits (3 doubles, 2 triples) while Tara Hansen has recorded two home runs and 12 RBI.
• As a team, the Stags hit .322 while holding opponents to a .254 batting average. All four of Fairfield's pitchers have at least one win under their belts and have an overall ERA of 2.24.
