April 15, 2012

Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio - The Saint Joseph's softball team both games of its doubleheader at Dayton on Sunday. The Hawks fell 3-1 in the opener, and lost 2-1 in eight innings in the second contest.

In the opener, the Flyers opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as a single by Brandy Brown off SJU starter Taryn Ashway plated Natalie Mariano from second after she reached base on a Hawks fielding error to start the inning.

Mariano added to Dayton's lead in the fifth with a RBI single, and her replacement runner, Rachel Archer, added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Brown.

Saint Joseph's cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth on a two-out solo home run by freshman Nicole Palase to left field. Unfortunately for SJU, the Flyers would work around one Hawk hit from there to earn the win.

Junior Dana Parks went 3-of-4 from the plate in game one, with Palase going 2-for-3. Ashway fell to 9-11 on the year after allowing just two earned runs, while striking out two.

In the nightcap, the Flyers scored first again, this time taking advantage of a SJU wild pitch and passed ball. With runners advancing two bases, Lauren Nacke singled in pinch runner Jenna Lopes to make it 1-0 in the second.

Saint Joseph's, which was stymied over the first six innings, got a major blow to start the top of the seventh as freshman Melissa Ruf nailed her first career home run, sending the ball over the left field wall to make it 1-1.

The Hawks would also get runners to second and third with two outs in the seventh, but couldn't get either runner home.

Senior Erin Gallagher worked around a hit in the bottom of the seventh to keep Dayton off the board and force extra innings.

Senior Alaina Loguidice drew a one-out walk in the eighth, but again SJU couldn't advance the runner.

With two outs and a runners at first and second, Dayton's Jordan Jennings delivered a game-winning hit to left center that scored Archer from second to end the game and give the Flyers the sweep.

Gallagher was the hard luck loser, allowing just one earned run over 7.2 innings of work and four strike outs. At the plate, Ruf and senior Bernadette Moran accounted for the two SJU hits.

The Hawks (15-22, 5-5 A-10) return to action this Tuesday at Villanova at 3 p.m.