St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Cal State Northridge
Red Storm Softball Splits Versus Cal State Northridge
3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2008
Box Score: Northridge 4 - St. Johns 0
Box Score: St. John's 5 - Northridge 0
Northridge, Calif. - The Red Storm softball squad finished up its ten day, 12-game California road trip on Saturday, as the team faced off against Cal State Northridge in a double-header. In the first game, St. John's ran into tough pitching from the Matadors, losing 4-0. In the second game, it was the Red Storm's staunch pitching that stepped up as St. John's won 5-0.
"We made a conscious decision to do things the right way in the second game," said head coach Amy Kvilhaug. "In second game we played great. Zee [Sumrall] pitched great for us and our offense came through the whole game. On this trip we are taking great mental and physical lessons that will help us for the second phase of our season and prepare us for our BIG EAST schedule."
In the first game, runs, as well as hits, were hard to come by for The Red Storm. Cal State Northridge's Mercedes Lovato finished with a complete game shutout, holding St. John's to two hits.
Northridge was also the first to get on the board when an error after a stolen base allowed the Matador base runner to score. CSUN put another run on the board when the next batter hit a sacrifice fly to score the run from third.
St. John's first hit came in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore catcher Brandy Reyes singled to left field.
The Matadors tacked on two more runs in the bottom of fifth when shortstop Tracy Allen hit a home run to left field, making the score 4-0.
St. John's led off the top of the seventh with a single from freshman outfielder Chelsea Durning but could not comeback against Northridge's ace Lovato.
Versus Cal State Northridge in the second game of the day, pitching again dominated the first three innings of the game until Reyes singled through the left side with one out in the top of the fourth.
Senior co-captain Danielle Estrada, the next batter, put St. John's on the board for the first time of the day with two-run blast to deep left field, her first of the year.
In the bottom of the fourth, freshman starter, Linzee Sumrall got into trouble with runners on the corners with no outs, but settled down and struck out the side to get out of the inning.
The Red Storm added to its lead in the top of the sixth when Reyes continued her great day, cranking a home run over the left field wall to score pinch-runner Melissa Pilley.
In the top of the seventh, senior co-captain Bionka King singled up the middle and then stole second and third, advancing home on a poor throw to give the Red Storm a 5-0 lead.
Sumrall finished her best game of the season with a complete game shutout, striking out 7.Her day included one of the better defensive plays of the year, when a ball was rocketed back at her. The shot kicked off the dirt in front of the plate and knocked her down, but Sumrall was able to make the play, throwing from the seat of her pants to first base and got St. John's out of the bottom sixth inning.
St. John's will return home for its home opener which is scheduled for March 5 vs. Yale at 2:30 p.m. at Red Storm Field in Queens, N.Y. For the latest stats, scores, and schedules, visit www.RedStormSports.com.
