March 12, 2008

Box Score

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Behind its best offensive performance of the season, the Saint Joseph's softball team topped Rider, 13-5, Wednesday afternoon at Herb and Joan Young Field. The Hawks collected 15 hits, while the pitching staff struck out nine.

Saint Joseph's (3-9) took the game's first lead in the top of the first, as sophomore catcher Brooke Darreff singled up the middle, scoring freshman Dana Bieniek from third. On the ensuing at-bat, with one on and two out, junior first baseman Dani Gonzales took a pitch from Rider's Jessica Holland deep to centerfield, putting SJU up 3-0 on Gonzales' first homer of the year.

The Broncs (1-4) retaliated in the bottom of the first, touching up Saint Joseph's senior pitcher Lauren Cognigni for a pair of runs, but the Hawks answered back in the top of the fourth as junior Beka Shumock put SJU up 4-2 on a sacrifice fly.

Saint Joseph's extended its lead in the top half of the fifth. Following a two-out single from Darreff and doube by Gonzales, sophomore Alyssa Neilson drove the two in on a two-RBI double to right center, giving the Hawks a 6-2 edge.

Rider again fought back, cutting its deficit to one, 6-5, with three runs in the bottom of the fifth behind RBI from Derrin Minunni, Amanda Centeno and Clarissa Ortiz.

The Hawks answered back with an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a RBI-single by Darreff and blew the game open with a six-run seventh. Bieniek accounted for two RBI, while junior Erika Rosenwinkel delivered the biggest blow with a three-RBI double. Darreff collected her third RBI, and fourth hit, with a single to give Saint Joseph's it's biggest lead, 13-5.

Darreff finished the game 4-of-5 with three RBI and two runs, while Bieniek, Gonzales and Neilson each collected a pair of hits and RBI. Cognigni improved to 3-5 on the season, striking out six over four innings, as freshman Lauren Pembleton worked three scoreless innings in relief.

The Hawks return to action this weekend, March 15-16, at the Hofstra Spring Classic.