Feb. 28, 2009

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The Saint Joseph's softball team split its pair of games Saturday at the George Mason Patriot Classic. The Hawks got an 8-4 victory over the host Patriots in the morning, but fell to Cornell, 8-1, in game two. Saint Joseph's, which is 2-1 at the weekend tournament, caps play tomorrow versus Akron at 9 a.m.

In the opener versus George Mason, the Hawks jumped out to a 6-0 edge by the fourth inning, scoring once in both the first and second innings, while tallying a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings.

Saint Joseph's got on the board in the first on a RBI ground out by junior catcher Brooke Darreff as sophomore center fielder Laura Cardone scored on the play.

Senior designated player Sarah Falk put SJU up 2-0 in the second, taking advantage of a George Mason fielding error, and tacked on the Hawks' next two runs with a two-RBI single in the top of the third.

Freshman third baseman Monica Aguilar upped Saint Joseph's lead to 6-0 in the top of the fourth with a two-RBI single, while freshman pitcher Erin Gallagher was stellar over the opening four innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out five.

The Hawks added to their lead in the top of the seventh, plating two more runs as senior right fielder Erika Rosenwinkel collected a RBI triple and came in to score on a ground-out RBI by freshman Christine Bednar.

Up eight, Saint Joseph's saw the Patriots rally in the bottom of the seventh. George Mason had its first six batters reach safely against the Hawks' sophomore pitcher Lauren Pembleton, but Pembleton calmed down and retired three straight batters to help the Hawks earn the victory.

In game two, Saint Joseph's spotted Cornell five runs in the bottom of the third, but cut it to 5-1 in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by sophomore shortstop Dana Bieniek.

Unfortunately that would be the lone offensive breakout for SJU in the game as Cornell plated three more runs in the fourth to open up an 8-1 lead it would never give up.

Individually, Darreff went 3-for-7 at the plate, driving in one and scoring once, while Falk and Aguilar each collected two RBI apiece. On the mound, Gallagher went 1-1 on the day, striking out eight, while Pembleton struck out three over 5.2 innings of work.

With the split, the Hawks move to 4-3 on the season heading into Sunday's final game of the Patriot Classic.