St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Hofstra
St. John's Falls To Hofstra, 6-2
3/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 24, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. - Julia Sanchez clubbed a two-run home run in the third inning and Linzee Sumrall tossed a complete game, but St. John's softball team came up short, falling to Hofstra, 6-2, Wednesday at Red Storm Field.
The Red Storm (10-11) trailed 2-0 after the first inning. Hofstra's Kris Root scored the first run of the game, crossing the plate from third base after Jess Hirschbuhl was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Pride (14-4) went up 2-0 when Christie Novatin drew a bases-loaded walk in the next at-bat.
Hofstra's Courtney Crews led off the second with a triple to right field and scored the Pride's third run shortly after on a passed ball.
The Pride's lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the third when Tessa Ziemba singled to center field to score Hirschbuhl from second base.
St. John's offense got things going in the bottom of the third. With one out, second baseman Jenna Berger doubled a pitch off Hofstra starter Olivia Galati to left center. In the next at-bat, Sanchez blasted the first home run of her career when she sent a 1-0 pitch to high over the fence in straightaway center.
"I just wanted to make contact and move Jenna over to third," said Sanchez, STJ's sophomore third baseman. "When the ball came off the bat, I knew it. I just ran and put my hands up."
The Red Storm had another opportunity to plate more runs in the fourth. With two outs, Kristi Cady hit a bouncer to the shortstop and raced to first to beat the throw for a base hit. Shauntaine Harris followed with a bloop single to left field, giving STJ two on with two out. However, the Red Storm could not muster any more hits and close out the fourth with two left on base.
In the top of the seventh, Hofstra added two more runs. With one out, Novatin scored on an error at first base that advanced Ziemba to third base. The Pride's lead grew to 6-2 when Ziemba scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.
Sanchez finished the game 1-of-3 with one home run, two RBI and one run scored. Berger went 1-of-3 with a run scored. Chelsea Durning, Montez, Cady and Harris each recorded one hit in the contest.
Sumrall (3-6) took the loss after throwing her team-high sixth complete game of the season. She struck out five and allowed six runs (three earned). Hofstra starter Olivia Galati (8-2) earned the win after striking out eight over seven frames and allowing six hits and two runs.
The Red Storm next heads to Conway, S.C., to compete in the Coastal Carolina Tournament March 27-28. STJ will take on Kent State and Siena on March 27 before facing Coastal Carolina and Kent State on March 28.
STJ returns to Red Storm Field on April 10 with it hosts a doubleheader against BIG EAST rival Seton Hall starting at noon.
NOTES: Entering Wednesday's game, St. John's ranked 24th in team batting average (.316) among 276 NCAA Division I softball teams… Kacee Cox's .441 batting average entering the game ranked 27th in the country and Kristi Cady's .418 mark ranked 62nd… Julia Sanchez's two-run blast in the third marked the fifth time this season that a Red Storm player's first career home run drove in multiple runs. Chelsea Durning and Kristi Cady each hit grand slams, Amber Curry had a three-run shot and Chrissy Montez clubbed a two-run long ball.
