St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Iona
Cox's Walk-Off Single Lifts Red Storm Past Iona, 4-3
4/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 28, 2010
Box Score | VIDEO: Cox Talks About Walk-Off Single
QUEENS, N.Y. - Kacee Cox ripped a walk-off single up the middle, Jenna Berger hit her first home run of the season and Kat Lawrence tossed seven strong innings as the St. John's softball team took a 4-3 victory over Iona on Wednesday at Red Storm Field.
With the game knotted at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Amber Curry led off the inning for Red Storm (17-27) with a double to right field, placing the winning run in scoring position. Cox's winning hit was her second and STJ's 11th in the game.
St. John's took a 1-0 lead over Iona (22-19) in the third inning. Julia Sanchez led off the frame with a triple down the right field line. Chelsea Durning drove in Sanchez in the following at-bat with a single. The Red Storm loaded the bases when Curry and Cox followed with back-to-back singles, but Gaels pitcher Alyssa Maiese got out of the jam. Maiese, who entered with no outs for starter Deanne Algeo, induced a fly out to center, pop up to second and a ground out back to the circle.
Lawrence had a strong start in the circle, opening the game with three no-hit frames and four strikeouts.
The Red Storm extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth. Berger launched a 1-2 pitch off Maiese to center field to lead off the inning. With one out, Sanchez and Durning knocked back-to-back singles to left field. Sanchez scored from third base on an RBI groundout to short by Curry.
Iona got on the scoreboard in the fifth when Tessa Early hit two out single to center field to pate Erin Kyle. On the same play, Curry, making her first start in center field, threw out Tierney Markou at home plate for the third out.
The Gaels evened the game at 3-3 in the sixth when Kyle hit a two-RBI single to second base that scored Cari Anderson and Jodi Petersen.
Cox finished 2-of-3 with one RBI and one walk. Sanchez also went 2-of-3 with one triple, a pair of runs scored and one stolen base. Curry went 2-of-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored. Durning finished 2-of-4 with one run driven in and one stolen base. Berger was 1-of-3 at the plate with one solo home run.
Lawrence improved to 11-9 on the season with the win and 4-1 at home. The junior hurler recorded her ninth complete game of the year after striking out six and allowing three runs over seven frames. Maiese fell to 6-10 on the season after throwing four frames with three runs surrendered and two strikes. Algeo tossed two innings with one run allowed.
St. John's next hosts LIU on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Red Storm Field.
NOTES: Julia Sanchez's third-inning triple was her second extra-base hit at home and she leads the team with a .611 slugging percentage at Red Storm Field… Kat Lawrence has thrived in home games this season with a 4-1 record, a 1.33 ERA, 24 strikeouts and a .160 opposing batting average over 31.2 innings of work.
