St. John’s Comes Up Short against Penn, 4-2

Wednesday, March 6

Clearwater, Fla.

1:15 p.m.

St. John's University

6-9

University of Pennsylvania

5-4

Penn

Saint John's

3/6/2019 6:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

The Johnnies fall to 6-9 on the season

By: Dylan Smith

CLEARWATER, Fla. (March 6, 2019) – The St. John's softball team fell, 4-2, against the University of Pennsylvania at the Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

            St. John's (6-9) posted two runs on five hits with no errors against the Quakers.

            BIG EAST Player of the Week Marissa Rizzi recorded her sixth-straight game with at least a hit and an RBI.

            Freshman Angela Saric took the circle for the Johnnies. After allowing a pair of walks to start the game, the Oakland, N.J., native settled in and worked her way out of trouble by retiring the next three batters.

            In the bottom of the first, junior Gretchen Bowie was well aware that Quakers' starting pitcher Tabitha Dyer was outside the circle and Penn's fielders were ready for the next play. The Sparta, N.J., native swiped second base and proceeded to third on Dyer's throwing error. The Quakers would hold Bowie at third, heading into the second frame tied at zero.

            Penn (5-4) took the first lead of the game, 1-0, on an RBI triple to left-center. After a scoreless bottom half by the Red Storm, the Quakers tagged the Johnnies with a two spot in the top of the third frame to take a 3-0 lead. Penn's Julia Schneider hit a two-run double to left, giving the visiting team its three-run advantage.

            St. John's responded with a run of its own to cut Penn's lead to two, 3-1. In her first career start, Anna Freveletti was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Two batters later, Bowie reached first on a fielder's choice. After reaching the base, the third baseman stole second again with Dyer outside the circle and no one covering the base.

            Saric sat the Quakers' lineup down in order in the fourth before the Red Storm cut its deficit to one, 3-2. After Peyton Cody walked and Amelia Ditolvo singled to lead off the inning, Gabriella Conca moved the runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Kamryn Tiumalu placed a squeeze bunt in front of the pitcher, who could not catch Cody at the plate.

            Reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Madison Morris relieved Saric after 4.1 innings of work. The senior right-hander came on after Quakers' Jessica England nearly extended the lead to three but lost her footing rounding third and was tagged out by Cody halfway down the line. She struck out the final two batters to fend off Penn's fifth-inning threat.

            Morris finished her relief appearance by allowing one run and striking out four batters in 2.2 innings of action. With her four fans in this afternoon's game, Morris is three strikeouts away from 300 for her career.

            The Quakers scored its fourth run in the final frame on an RBI double to left-center by Lucy Yang.

            St. John's remains in Clearwater to close out its spring break trip at the USF Series, starting on Friday, March 8. The Johnnies are slated for five more games in Clearwater, facing Western Michigan, Toledo, USC Upstate, Central Florida and South Florida.