March 11, 2011

Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Saint Joseph's opened play at the USF UnderArmour Showcase Friday with a pair of tough-fought contests against St. John's and Robert Morris. Unfortunately for SJU, the Hawks fell 3-0 in eight innings to St. John's and lost the second contests, 8-3, to Robert Morris.

Against St. John's, junior Erin Gallagher was stellar for the Hawks, limiting opponents to just four hits, while striking out five and holding St. John's scoreless.

Unfortunately, Saint Joseph's couldn't muster much at the plate either, as they were limited to just three hits by starter Linzee Sumrall.

With the game tied at 0-0, St. John's struck for three runs in the top of the eighth off SJU sophomore Taryn Ashway. Kristi Cady drove in the first run with a RBI single, while Jackie Reed's two-run single two batters later added insurance for St. Johns.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Saint Joseph's had runner at first and second with no outs, but could not take advantage as Sumrall retired the next three Hawks in order to end the game.

In the nightcap, Robert Morris jumped out to a 4-0 edge with a run in the first and three more in the top of the second against Ashway.

Saint Joseph's countered with runs in the bottom of the third and fourth to make it a 4-2 game. Junior Alaina Loguidice scored on an errant throw off a sharply hit ball by Dana Parks in the third, while junior Monica Aguilar scored on a RBI single by sophomore Rochelle Christman in the fourth.

Robert Morris extended the lead to 8-2 with a four-run fifth, but the Hawks kept battling, as Loguidice scored on a RBI single by senior Laura Cardone to make it an 8-3 contest.

The Hawks failed to get runners into scoring position in the sixth or seventh as Robert Morris won and dropped SJU's record to 10-7.

Saint Joseph's begins the second day of play at the USF UnderArmour Showcase against Quinnipiac on Saturday.