St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Rutgers
St. John's Splits With Rutgers
4/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 26, 2008
QUEENS, N.Y. - The St. John's softball team (19-33, 4-16) took on BIG EAST rival Rutgers (12-30, 4-14) in a doubleheader at Red Storm Field. The offense clicked in game one as the Red Storm won 5-0. Game two went to extra innings, but Rutgers was able to strike first, winning 6-4 in 10.
In game one, the St. John's offense pressed early, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second. Rutgers got a phenomenal diving stop from the first baseman to end the inning and keep the Red Storm off the board.
Freshman starter Kat Lawrence was outstanding for the first four innings against Rutgers. Lawrence held the Scarlet Knights hitless through 4.1 innings, striking out four. After getting its first hit, Rutgers was set down in order by Lawrence who picked up her fifth strikeout of the game.
The Red Storm stuck in the bottom half of the fourth with two outs when senior tri-captain Bionka King singled up the middle to score the speedy Danielle Estrada from second, giving St. John's a 1-0 advantage. The Red Storm kept it going as King stole second and then advanced on the throw to put herself into scoring position. Freshman Chelsea Durning, the next batter, blooped a single into left to score King and give St. John's a 2-0 lead.
Rutgers threatened in the top of the fifth, getting a double from the first batter of the inning and then a sacrifice to move the runner to third. Lawrence was able to work her way out of trouble getting a strikeout and a fly ball to left field to end the inning and keep the Rutgers runner at third.
St. John's extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. Sophomore Shauntaine Harris was able to score on an error by the second baseman to push the score to 3-0. Freshman Kacee Cox, the next batter, blasted her eighth home run of the year to dead center to score Alyson Funn and give St. John's a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Lawrence worked her way around an infield single to end the game and earn her ninth victory of the season. Lawrence finished with a complete game four hitter, striking out eight.
In game two, Rutgers was able to get on the board early after being shutout in game one. A single, a sacrifice bunt and another single allowed a run to cross and give the Scarlet Knights an early 1-0 lead.
St. John's got the run back in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Estrada that scored Roxy Struble. Struble had walked, advanced to second on a single by Lisa Geer and then stole third, putting herself into scoring position for Estrada.
In the bottom of the third, St. John's was able to load the bases with no outs. Sophomore Brandy Reyes singled to opposite field advancing every runner one base and giving St. John's a 2-1 lead.
St. John's continued its prowess of scoring with two outs as after a single and a stolen base by Melissa Pilley, a single by Durning allowed Pilley to score and push St. John's lead to 3-1.
The Red Storm offense continued to click in the bottom of the fifth as Cox walloped her ninth home run of the season over the left field score board to make the score 4-1.
Rutgers got two runs back in the top of the sixth on four straight singles with two outs. Geer was able to settle down and get the final out of the inning, a called strike three.
The Scarlet Knights were able to load the bases in the top of seventh with two outs. Rutgers tied the game after a walk forced a run across. Geer reentered the game after being replaced three batters earlier and was able to get the strikeout to end the inning.
St. John's got the first two runners on in the bottom of the seventh after a single up the middle by Funn and a walk by Cox. Reyes sacrificed to advance the runners to second and third. Struble was then intentionally walked to give Rutgers a force at any base with one out. Rutgers' Christina Yard was able two get to pop outs to end the inning and send the game to extras.
Both the Scarlet Knights and the Red Storm went down in order in the eighth inning and a diving web gem from Durning with two outs in the top of the ninth gave St. John's a chance in the bottom of the frame.
After a walk by Cox, Struble singled down the right field line to allow Cox to advance to third base with two outs. Geer hit a hot shot off the dirt right in front of the plate that tipped off the pitchers glove as she tried to make the play. Cox crossed home, but the shortstop followed the play and was able to get Geer at first to end the inning.
Rutgers took the lead in the top of the tenth on an RBI double. The Scarlet Knights added another run after a Rutgers baserunner stole third and the throw went wide into left field, allowing the runner to score and giving Rutgers a 6-4 advantage.
St. John's had one last shot in the bottom of the tenth and was robbed of a hit when Rutgers' Yard made an amazing catch on a ball rocketed right over her head by Estrada for out number one. Yard used that momentum to retire the next two batters and earn the victory for the Scarlet Knights.
St. John's will face BIG EAST opponent Villanova tomorrow at Noon at Red Storm Field. Before the game, alumnae from the past twenty years will be honored and a special senior ceremony will take place between games.
