March 8, 2008

Box Score

CLEARWATER, FL - The Saint Joseph's softball team dropped its third highly-contested game of the University of South Florida Under Armour Invitational late Friday, falling to Penn State, 4-2, at the Moore Complex.

Unlike the prior two games in which they trailed early, the Hawks took the game's first lead in the bottom half of the first inning. Saint Joseph's led off as freshman Dana Bieniek and senior Kelsey Moir reached second and third with no outs, leading to a RBI ground out by junior Erika Rosenwinkel. Moir, who advanced to third on the previous play, put the Hawks up 2-0 as she scored on a RBI single by sophomore Brooke Darreff.

Saint Joseph's (1-7) retained its lead through the opening four innings, but Penn State rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth as Rebecca Bautista drilled a two-run single off the Hawks' starting pitcher Lauren Cognigni.

After the Hawks left two stranded in the bottom of the fifth, the Nittany Lions (7-5) took the lead in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs to go up 4-2. Sam Hovanec put Penn State up 3-2 with a two-out RBI triple, and came in to score on the next at-bat as Jackie Hill singled.

Unfortunately for Saint Joseph's, the Hawks' offense couldn't mount a comeback in the final two innings.

Individually, Darreff finished 2-of-2 for the game to lead SJU. Cognigni was the hard-luck loser, allowing four runs over seven innings, while striking out five.

Saint Joseph's continues play at Under Armour Invitational Saturday evening versus North Carolina State.