Madison Morris Tosses Two-Hitter in 6-0 Win Over UNC Greensboro

Friday, February 15

Columbia, S.C.

12:00 p.m.

St. John's University

3-3

UNC Greensboro

2-4

UNCG

St. John's

Madison Morris Tosses Two-Hitter in 6-0 Win Over UNC Greensboro

2/15/2019 4:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

The senior right-hander takes a perfect game into the sixth inning

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 15, 2019) – Senior Madison Morris tossed a two-hit, complete game shutout in St. John's 6-0 victory over UNC Greensboro at the Gamecock Invitational on Friday.

            The 5-foot-8 right-hander threw a perfect game into the top of the sixth before the Spartans' Stephanie Bryden registered a single in the first at-bat of the inning. The Hampton, Va., native fanned six batters and allowed only two fly balls to leave the infield in her five perfect innings.

            "Maddy did what we wanted and needed her to do, shut down a very good UNC Greensboro team," Head Coach Bob Guerriero said. "I think the rest of the team fed off her performance and played spirited defense behind her."

            Morris is the last pitcher to allow fewer than two hits in a game when she gave up only one base knock against Seton Hall in 2017. She has allowed just four runs and struck out 22 batters over her last 21 innings of work.

            After a scoreless opening frame for both teams, St. John's (3-3) stormed out to a 6-0 lead in the second inning. Coach Guerriero gave freshman Peyton Cody an opportunity to pinch hit with the bases loaded and she delivered. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native cleared the bases on a triple to the right-center gap after a lead-off walk to Gabby Conca and back-to-back singles by Natalie Giroux and Kamryn Tiumalu.

            "To see a key hit from a freshman who embraced the challenge of the situation is awesome," Coach Guerriero said.

            Two batters later, Kaitlin Mattera dropped a squeeze bunt in front of the plate for a single, scoring pinch runner Meisha Murray from third to extend the Johnnies lead, 4-0. With Mattera on second, third baseman Gretchen Bowie drove a two-run home run to left field, giving the Red Storm a 6-0 advantage after two innings of play.

            Following a scoreless third frame, the Johnnies threatened with runners in the bottom of the fourth. The left-handed Murray extended her hitting streak to four by slapping a single to the left side. In the next at-bat, Amelia Ditolvo drove a hard single to the shortstop, recording a hit in her fifth-straight game before UNC Greensboro (2-4) shut down St. John's scoring opportunity.

The Red Storm continued to pressure the Spartans in the fifth with a lead-off walk by Marissa Rizzi and a double down the line by Christina Melendez but, once again, UNCG worked its way out of trouble.

            Morris closed out the game with a pair of scoreless innings to help St. John's to its third win of the season. Eight of the Red Storm's nine starters recorded at least one hit in today's matchup against the Spartans.

            The Johnnies return to action on Saturday against UNC Greensboro, for the second time in as many days, slated for a new start time of 1:30 p.m. and Campbell at 6:30 p.m.