St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
DePaul
St. John's Outscored By DePaul
4/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2008
Box Score: St. John's 1 - DePaul 2
Box Score: St. John's 0 - DePaul 4
QUEENS, N.Y. - The Red Storm softball team (15-23, 2-8) took on the No. 18/25 DePaul Blue Demons (24-12, 3-3) on Sunday afternoon at Red Storm Field. The doubleheader was St. John's third match up against a ranked opponent this year. St. John's only gave up six runs in the two games but fell in each, 2-1 and 4-0.
"We are playing against teams that you can't make mistakes against," said head coach Amy Kvilhaug. "When you do, they take advantage of it. We need to get back to basics and improve everyday we get on the field. We must refocus and get the job done."
Game one between the Blue Demons and the Red Storm featured two great pitchers. DePaul's sophomore sensation Becca Heteniak matched up with St. John's own, Kat Lawrence. The two pitchers combined to give up only nine hits and three runs while striking out 15.
DePaul was first to get on the board, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Lawrence only gave up one hit in the inning. The freshman was able to hold the Blue Demons off the bases for the next two innings.
DePaul got another run in the top of the fourth on a solo shot to left field, making the score 2-0. After a walk and a double, the Red Storm got a great play from junior Roxy Struble when she threw home on a ball hit to first to get the runner and hold the Blue Demon lead at two. Lawrence did the rest as she struck out the next batter and got the final out on a pop fly to second base.
St. John's got its first base runner in the bottom of the fifth with two outs, when senior tri-captain Danielle Estrada worked a five pitch walk.
The Red Storm's first hit and first run both came in the bottom of the sixth and happened on the same play. Sophomore Shauntaine Harris took the second pitch she saw and ripped it over the left field fence for her first home run of the season. The run was the first Heteniak had given up in conference play since April 22, 2007.
That was as close as St. John's would get though as Heteniak gave up only two more hits in the next inning, holding the score at 2-1. Heteniak has never lost a BIG EAST Conference game.
In game two, back-to-back doubles down the left field line put St. John's in an early 1-0 hole.
Senior pitcher Lisa Geer went on to hold the Blue Demons to just two hits over the next four innings. It was the same for the Red Storm as DePaul pitching held the team to only two hits in the first five innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, St. John's got a runner in scoring position after a single up the middle by Brandy Reyes and then an error by the pitcher on a ball hit by Harris. St. John's had runners at second and third but could not advance them home.
DePaul added to its lead over the next two innings, getting two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to push the lead to 4-0.
St. John's threatened in the seventh, getting Struble into scoring position, but was unable to string together a rally.
The Red Storm will finish its seven-game homestand this Wednesday against the Blackbirds of LIU. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Red Storm Field in Queens, N.Y.
