St. John's University Athletics
St. John's University
Virginia
Virginia Tops St. John's, 15-8
2/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 19, 2011
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Chrissy Montez went 3-of-4 with three RBI and Kristi Cady scored twice and drove in a pair, but the St. John's softball team could not overcome a late surge from Virginia on Saturday, falling to the Cavaliers, 15-8, in the Pirate Classic.
St. John's (4-4) was hot out of the gate, scoring three runs in the first inning. Chelsea Durning opened the game with a leadoff double to left field and Fachon Jones advanced her to third with a single back to Virginia starting pitcher Melanie Mitchell. Amber Curry reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second after Durning got caught in a 3-2-5 rundown at home. Kristi Cady, who had hit two home runs and driven in five on Friday, followed with a single through the left side to plate Jones and give STJ a 1-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Cady stole second, Curry stole home and Cady advanced to third on an errant throw. Chrissy Montez followed with a single up the middle to plate Cady and put the Red Storm up 3-0.
Virginia (5-2) responded in the bottom of the second to take. Stephanie Harris led off the inning with a single to second off STJ starter Kat Lawrence and advanced to second on a throw to first that sailed into the dugout. Harris advanced twice and scored on a pair of wild pitches over the next two batters for UVA's first run of the game. With runners on second and third, Kristen Hawkins hit a double to the warning track in left to plate two and tie the game at 3-3. Alison Pittman singled to the catcher to move Hawkins to third and Hawkins scored on a wild pitch in the next at-bat to give UVA a 4-3 lead. Ashley Beza entered the game in relief of Lawrence with Pittman on third and no outs. Pittman scored on Giannina Cipolloni's groundout to first to push the Cavaliers' lead to 5-3. Beza induced a groundout back to the circle and a flyout to right to end the inning.
After both teams left runners in scoring position stranded in the third, the Red Storm came firing back in the fourth. Durning led off the inning with a single through the right side and Jones followed with a single to right. Curry advanced both runners with 4-3 groundout. Cady singled to center and advanced on the throw, plating During and moving Jones to third. Montez followed with a triple off the left center wall to plate Jones and give St. John's a 6-5 lead. Jackie Reed's bloop single to left field plated Montez and extended STJ's lead to 7-5.
The Cavaliers added one run in the bottom fourth with one out when Lauren Didlake scored from third base on a throwing error trying by Michelle Tilson, who was trying to prevent Giannina Cipolloni from stealing second.
The Red Storm pushed its lead to 8-6 in the fifth inning. Tilson led off the inning with a hard-hit double off the left field wall. Durning plated her with a double to left and UVA's Stephanie Coates entered in relief of Mitchell.
With two on and no outs in the bottom of the fifth, Hawkins muscled a three-run home run to left field to give UVA a 9-8 lead. Linzee Sumrall entered the game for Beza and two batters later Taylor Williams singled to center to score Pittman from second base. After Marcy Bowdren drew a walk, Erica Cipolloni hit a sac fly to deep center to score Giannina Cipolloni and give Virginia an 11-8 advantage.
In the sixth inning, Virginia tagged on four more runs. With one out and runners on second and third, Giannina Cipolloni hit an RBI single to center to plate Hawkins. Pittman scored on a throwing error on the play as UVA's lead grew to 13-8. Giannina Cipolloni scored on Williams' triple to left in the next at bat. Bowdren plated Williams with a single to second to give UVA a 15-8 advantage.
Montez was 3-of-4 with three RBI and one run scored. Cady finished 2-of-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Two of Durning's three hits were doubles and she added one run and one RBI. Jones was 2-of-4 with two runs scored and Reed finished 2-of-3 with one RBI.
Beza (1-3) took the loss after allowing five runs and striking out three (four earned) over 3.1 innings. Lawrence gave up five runs over one inning of work. Sumrall issued five runs (four earned) in one inning and Aleshia Link closed out the sixth for St. John's, striking out one over a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.
Coates (2-0) earned the win for Virginia after tossing three scoreless frames. Mitchell had surrendered eight runs over the first four innings.
St. John's is scheduled to take on Kent State for a second time this weekend today at 1 p.m. Since the first game ran 2:36, the start time for that game will likely be delayed. Gametracker for the STJ-Kent State game can be found here.
NOTES: Durning's three hits against UVA matches her career high and marks her fourth multi-hit game of the year … Cady has recorded at least two hits and two RBI in each of St. John's three games of the Pirate Classic … Montez also matched her career high with three hits against UVA and her fourth-inning triple was the first of her career … Jones has scored two runs in four games this season.
