St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Connecticut
St. John's Downed By UConn
4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2008
Storrs, Conn. - The St. John's softball team (15-26, 2-10) traveled to Storrs, Conn. to take on the Huskies of UConn (17-15, 6-2) in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Red Storm battled all day with the Huskies but could not pull out a win. The team lost game one by just single run, 6-5. St. John's was able to tie game two in the top of the third but was downed, 5-1.
"We must do a better job of holding the lead," said head coach Amy Kvilhaug. "UConn executed better than we did and got the pitching efforts to back it up."
The Red Storm got in an early hole in the bottom of the first inning after an error and a wild pitch set up an single to center which scored the Huskies first run of the game.
St. John's came out in the top of second and worked small ball to perfection. The Red Storm got runners on third and second after sacrifices and then a wild pitch from UConn's Tricia Sullivan allowed junior Roxy Struble to score from third and tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the second, freshman starter Kat Lawrence was able to work her way out of trouble after getting runners on first and second with no outs. Lawrence got the next three batters in order inducing a fly-out to left field, a strikeout and finally a ground ball which she calmly scooped and sent to first for the final out of the inning.
In the top of the third, St. John's showed why it led the BIG EAST in doubles a season ago. Back-to-back two-baggers by freshman Chelsea Durning and senior Danielle Estrada gave the Red Storm the 2-1 lead. St. John's did not let up as the next batter, third baseman Kacee Cox, blasted her seventh home run of the season over the left field fence to add to the lead, making it 4-1.
UConn was able to tie the game at four in the bottom of the fourth with on a two-run home run followed by a solo shot over the left field fence.
After two scoreless innings, St. John's struck first. Sophomore catcher Brandy Reyes doubled to left to give the Red Storm a runner in scoring position. Reyes advanced to third on a reach-on-error by Shauntaine Harris and senior co-captain Lisa Geer delivered with a clutch single down the right field line to give St. john's a 5-4 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, UConn responded with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. After a strikeout by Lawrence, the Huskies were able to get another single to score one and tie the game at five and give UConn runners on the corners. Lawrence was able to stay composed and work out of trouble inducing two fly-outs to end the inning.
Durning led off the bottom of the seventh for St. John's and came up big with a single up the middle. A sacrifice bunt by Estrada advanced Durning to second to give the Red Storm a runner in scoring position and Cox up at the plate. Cox hit a ball that would have hit off the right field fence on a line drive, but the UConn second baseman made a great play to grab the ball out of midair and double-up Durning at second to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh the Huskies got a double then followed with a single to score the runner from second base and take the game 6-5.
After an early run on a sacrifice fly by the Huskies in the first inning of game two, the Red Storm held the rope and continued to battle. In the top of the third inning Durning walked then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Estrada and then stole third. Cox did the rest a she singled up the middle to score Durning and tie the game at one.
St. John's ran into trouble in the bottom of the third as the Huskie bats began to swing hard. After a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice, a double gave UConn the 2-1 lead. The next batter hit a home run to center, pushing the lead to three.
Even after UConn scored again on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth, St. John's refused to quit. The Red Storm got four more base runners on in the next two innings but UConn's Rachel Crossin made sure not to let anyone cross the plate, striking out three in the top of the sixth and seventh.
The Red Storm will now head to Rhode Island for a matchup versus coach Kvilhaug's alma mater, the Friars of Providence. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Raymond Field in Providence, R.I.
