St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
UIC
Red Storm Takes Down Illinois-Chicago, 4-3
3/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2010
TUCSON, Ariz. - Kristi Cady went 3-of-3 with a two-run home run, Kat Lawrence stuck out nine over seven strong innings and the St. John's softball team closed out its nine-day stint in Arizona on a high note, defeating Illinois-Chicago, 4-3, on Sunday in the first game of the Wildcat Invitational's final day.
"I thought the game was really positive," Red Storm head coach Amy Kvilhaug said. "I was extremely pleased with the way that Kat came out and performed, considering some of the struggles that she's had. And I thought she really stepped it up and really showed some maturity and really showed some leadership. I'm impressed with the way that the team is coming out offensively, sticking with our plan and doing the things that we need to do offensively."
The Red Storm (9-10) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Chelsea Durning scored from third base on a one-out illegal pitch by UIC starter Devin Miller that also sent Kacee Cox to first on a walk. After the illegal pitch, UIC's Ashley Hewett replaced Miller at pitcher.
STJ starter Lawrence got off to a good start, inducing a 6-3 groundout and a lineout to left field before striking out Shannon Kehr to close the first inning.
St. John's added another run in the second inning. Cady started the inning with a four-pitch walk and, in Meghan Gwynn's ensuing at-bat, she stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. STJ's lead grew to 2-0 when Cady scored on a one-out sacrifice fly to center field by Shauntaine Harris in the next at-bat.
Lawrence remained strong in the circle in the bottom half of the second, bouncing back from a leadoff double by Brooke Frydendall with three straight strikeouts.
Cady came up big for the Red Storm in the third inning. With one out and Chrissy Montez on first, Cady launched a two-run bomb to left that landed at the top of the 19-row stands and extended STJ's lead to 4-0.
In the bottom third, Lawrence's hot streak continued as she struck out the side.
UIC (6-13) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Shannon Kehr hit a one-out, solo home run off Lawrence to left center, pulling the Flames to within 4-1.
Cady continued to shine in the batter's box in the fifth, blasting a pitch off the center field wall for a one-out double. The Red Storm was unable to bring her home, closing out the top of the fifth with a strikeout and a flyout to center.
In the seventh, Montez hit a two-out double off of the wall in center field. Cady followed with her third hit of the game on an infield single that spun away from the pitcher, but Montez got caught in a 1-5-2 rundown at home.
UIC tried to rally in the bottom seventh when Carly Demarco hit a double to left center and advanced to third on a fielding error by Cady. Coryn Schmit followed with a double to left field that scored DeMarco and brought the Flames to within 4-2. Claire Donyanavard hit a single to left center that scored Schmit, but Cady threw her out trying to stretch a double as UIC climbed within 4-3. After Lawrence got a swinging strikeout from Christie Seddon for the second out, the STJ starter fielded a ground ball by Melinda Macias off her left ankle to earn the complete-game victory.
Lawrence (5-2) finished with nine strikeouts after tossing seven strong innings with just three runs (two earned) allowed.
Cady finished 3-of-3 with one home run, one double, two RBI and two runs scored. Curry went 2-of-3 and Durning and Montez each went 1-of-3 with one run scored.
"Kristi Cady had a great game, going 3-for-3," Kvilhaug said. "She's hitting the ball well to all fields. She had a double off the right center field wall and a home run out to left field. So it's nice to see that she's making adjustments to however people are throwing."
St. John's returns to Queens, N.Y., to hold its home opener against Fairfield on March 17 at 3 p.m.
NOTES: Kristi Cady, who is riding a five-game hitting streak, totaled eight RBI in STJ's 10 games in the desert... Amber Curry recorded a hit in seven of the Red Storm's 10 Spring Break games in Arizona... Chelsea Durning recorded a hit in eight games during the trip and had four multi-hit games.
