St. John’s Falls to South Dakota State, 5-4, in Extras

Tuesday, March 5

Clearwater, Fla.

4 p.m.

St. John's University

6-8

South Dakota State University

12-4

St. John's

South Dakota State

St. John’s Falls to South Dakota State, 5-4, in Extras

3/5/2019 10:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

First baseman Marissa Rizzi nearly hits for the cycle in the eight-inning affair

By: Dylan Smith

Box Score vs. South Dakota State

The St. John's softball team dropped an extra-inning affair against South Dakota State, 5-4, at the Eddie C. Moore Complex on Tuesday.

            One day after receiving BIG EAST Player of the Week recognition, Marissa Rizzi fell a home run shy of the cycle in her 3-for-4 performance in Clearwater. The junior first baseman also registered her third-straight multi-hit game while adding two runs and an RBI to her final stat line against the Jackrabbits.

            The Manorville, N.Y., native hit a triple off the right-field wall to drive Amelia Ditolvo in from first in the opening frame, giving the Johnnies a 1-0 lead. In the next at-bat, senior Christina Melendez placed a single in between South Dakota State's pitcher Olivia Douglas and second baseman Baily Janssen. Rizzi charged home, avoided the tag and caught a piece of the plate to extend St. John's lead, 2-0.

            In the bottom of the second inning, the Jackrabbits (12-4) scored its first run of the game on a strategic steal that lured a throw down to second. SDSU's Lyndsey Crist crossed the plate before Rizzi could tag Janssen, cutting the Johnnies lead, 2-1.

            The Red Storm (6-8) threatened in the third inning after Rizzi lined a two-out single through the left side and Melendez reached on an error. South Dakota State would shut down the Red Storm and tie the game, 2-2, in the bottom half of the inning.

            Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth before the Johnnies took their second lead of the game in the fifth frame. The heart of the Red Storm's lineup produced for the second time as Rizzi and Melendez smacked back-to-back doubles to give St. John's a one-run advantage, 3-2. In the next at-bat, junior Kaitlin Mattera drove an RBI single up the middle to bring pinch runner Anna Freveletti around to score, 4-2.

            The Red Storm's trio of Rizzi, Melendez and Mattera hit a combined 6-for-11 with three RBIs and two runs scored against South Dakota State.

            BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Madison Morris received the starting nod against the Jackrabbits, fanning five batters in four innings of work. The senior hurler was relieved by freshman Angela Saric after running into trouble and allowing a solo homer, 4-3, in the fifth frame. St. John's rookie right-hander came in with no outs and a runner on second. The Oakland, N.J., native held SDSU hitless and scoreless in her first inning of work.

            After no tallies in the sixth frame, South Dakota State tied the game, 4-4, in the seventh on an RBI double to center. Saric prevented the winning run from scoring on a squeeze bunt by flipping the ball to Mattera at the plate for the tag.

            The Jackrabbits kept the Johnnies off the scoreboard in the extra inning before Ali Herdliska ended the game on an RBI single to left, 5-4.

            The Red Storm will look to rebound on Wednesday when they take on the University of Pennsylvania in its final tune-up before the USF Series. First pitch is slated for 1:15 p.m. Fans can follow the game by clicking here.