St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Notre Dame
Red Storm Splits With Fighting Irish
3/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 22, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The St. John's softball team (9-12, 1-3) continued its BIG EAST opening weekend vs. the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in South Bend on Sunday. The Red Storm got down early in game one, but a four run sixth inning gave the squad a 4-3 victory over the Irish, it's first-ever program win over Notre Dame. St. John's could not hold off a late surge from ND in the second game, falling, 5-4.
Pitching dominated game one for the first three and half innings of the game as St. John's Linzee Sumrall and Notre Dame's Brittney Bargar allowed just one hit each. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Irish were able to string together three hits which led to the first run of the day and put ND up, 1-0.
Notre Dame (11-11, 1-1) got runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Sumrall was able to induce a groundout, then and got the third out on her eighth strikeout of the day.
Back-to-back singles by Chelsea Durning and Roxy Struble in the top of the sixth inning set the table for Kacee Cox. The sophomore catcher delivered for the Red Storm as she doubled to left-center and scored Durning and pinch-runner Julia Sanchez, which put STJ on top, 2-1. Designated hitter Stacia Dopudja followed Cox's lead, as she added a double of her own to score pinch-runner Laura Guzman and pushed the St. John's lead to two. Not to be left out, freshman Kristi Cady kept the doubles coming, as she plated Dopudja for the Red Storm's fourth run.
Notre Dame fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Irish got a two-run home run from designated player Linda Kohan which put the Irish with in one. Sumrall was able to close the door though, as she induced a pop-out into foul territory for St. John's first BIG EAST win of the season.
Game two was also dominated by pitching early, as sophomore Kat Lawrence and Notre Dame's Jody Valdivia combined to allow just three hits through the first three and half innings.
Notre Dame got on the board first as the Irish got a two-run home run from Christine Lux in the bottom of the fourth inning which put ND up, 2-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, St. John's got a runner in scoring position after a single from junior Shauntaine Harris who then stole second. Pinch-hitter Erin Harris drove her in with a double to the right-center gap and cut the deficit to one.
After a hit-by-pitch on Durning which extended the inning, the Red Storm had two on and Struble at the plate. The senior came through as she blasted a pitch over the left field fence that drove in three and gave STJ its second four run inning of the day, and the 4-2 lead.
Notre Dame got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single from Sadie Pitzenberger which pushed the score to 4-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Irish got back-to-back solo home runs from Katie Fleury and Brianna Jorgensborg to win the game, 5-4.
Struble finished the day 3-for-7 with a run, a home run and three RBI. The fourth-year player also played shortstop for the final two innings of the game, the first time she has played the position at the collegiate level.
St. John's returns home on Wednesday, March 25 to Red Storm Field in Queens, when the squad takes on Rider. The Broncs and Red Storm will play two games starting at 3 p.m.
If you would like to receive the most up-to-date information on the 2008-09 St. John's softball team, please send your e-mail address to michael.gambardella03@stjohns.edu.
