St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Kent State
Red Storm Falls to Coastal Carolina, Kent State
3/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2010
Box Scores: STJ-Coastal Carolina | Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. - The St. John's softball team fell, 15-2, to Coastal Carolina and rallied back from seven runs down in an 11-7 loss to Kent State on Sunday at the Coastal Carolina Tournament in Conway, S.C.
Junior catcher Kacee Cox led the Red Storm (11-14) offensively, going 4-of-5 on the day with one home run, one double, five RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.
Game 2: KENT STATE 11, ST. JOHN'S 7
The Red Storm opened strong offensively against Kent State. Chelsea Durning led off the game with a walk and Amber Curry followed with a bunt single to the third baseman. Kacee Cox ripped a double to left field to score Durning and Curry and give St. John's a quick 2-0 lead.
Kent State (12-12) answered with four runs in the bottom of the first. In KSU's second at-bat of the game, Lauren Grimes hit a two-run home run to left center, tying the game at 2-2. Two batters later, Jessica Carmichael hit a two-run homer to left center to put the Golden Flashes up, 4-2. St. John's starter Linzee Sumrall struck out three of the next four batters to close out the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Kent State added three runs. Leah Archual scored from third on a passed ball to put KSU up 5-2. Grimes crossed the plate a bases-loaded walk. Beth Cinadr scored on Jessica Blanton's one-out sac fly to center, extending the Golden Flashes' lead to 7-2.
KSU's lead grew to 9-2 in the third. With two on and two outs, Ashlee Hein singled to left field, plating both Archual and Grimes. Kat Lawrence entered in relief of Sumrall and got the third out with a fly out to center field.
St. John's came roaring back in the fourth inning. With one out, Shauntaine Harris singled to right field and Meghan Gwynn followed with a single to left center. Julia Sanchez plated Harris with a hard-hit single off the right field wall. Gwynn scored on a fielder's choice by Durning in the next at-bat, bringing STJ to within 9-4. Curry advanced Durning to second base with an infield single to short. Cox came up big for the Red Storm in the next at-bat. The junior catcher hammered the first pitch she saw over the fence in right center for a three-run jack as St. John's battled back to within 9-7.
Kent State plated two more runs to build its lead to 11-7 in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Mary Holt hit a bloop single to center field that just escaped Gwynn on a dive. Grimes and Carmichael scored on the play.
Cox finished 3-of-4 with one home run, one double and five RBI. Curry went 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Sanchez was 2-of-2 with one double, one RBI and one walk.
Sumrall (4-7) took the loss after striking out six and allowing nine runs (eight earned) over 2.2 innings of work. Lawrence pitched 3.1 innings of relief with one strikeout and two runs given up. KSU's Maleeya Coleman earned the win after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing five runs.
Game 1: COASTAL CAROLINA 15, ST. JOHN'S 2 (5 innings)
Coastal Carolina jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the second inning. Sarah Maples scored the first run of the game when Stacy Snellings drew a bases-loaded walk. With the bases still loaded, Jordan Tingley entered the game in relief of STJ starter Kat Lawrence. The Chanticleers went up 2-0 when Alyssa Tornatore singled through the left side. CCU's lead grew to 3-0 when Mecaela Ballard followed with another single through the left side with the bases loaded. Cacia Pierre drove in the Chanticleers' fourth run with a sac fly to center. Michelle Evans hit a three-run home run in the next at-bat. Three batters later, Cass Stuart pushed Coastal Carolina's lead to 10-0 with a three-run shot to left.
St. John's put runners on in the second, but could not answer with runs on the scoreboard. With one out, Stacia Dopudja drew a walk Shauntaine Harris followed with a single to center field, giving STJ runners on first and second. However, a foul out to third and a groundout to short prevented any runs from coming in.
The Chanticleers (16-16) added another run in the third inning. Tornatore scored from second base on a one-out single up the middle by Jazmin Daigle.
In the fourth, Coastal Carolina added four more runs. With two outs, Tornatore hit a single up the middle to plate Stuart and Ballard and put CCU up 13-0. Daigle followed with a single up the middle to score Snellings. The Chanticleers went up 15-0 when Tornatore crossed the plate on a single through the right side by Pierre.
The Red Storm got on the scoreboard in the fifth. After Meghan Gwynn led off the inning with a walk, Chelsea Durning brought her home with a double off the top of the center field fence. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Durning scored STJ's second run on a groundout to second by Amber Curry.
Durning finished 1-of-3 with one double, one RBI and one run scored. Kacee Cox went 1-of-1 with one walk and one steal.
Lawrence (6-4) was tagged with the loss after striking out two and allowing four runs over 1.1 innings. Tingley threw 3.2 innings with one strikeout and 11 runs (10 earned) allowed. Coastal Carolina starter Katelin Edwards (7-6) earned the win after throwing three scoreless innings.
St. John's will next face Fordham on Wednesday, March 31, in Bronx, N.Y. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
