DAYTON, Ohio - Saint Joseph's Cyndi Wilson delivered the game-tying run to force extra innings, then followed with a game-winning home run in the 11th inning to lift the Hawks past Dayton, 4-3, on Friday afternoon at UD Softball Stadium.
Down 3-1 entering the top of the seventh, Saint Joseph's (11-9, 1-0 Atlantic 10) rallied for a pair of runs to tie the game at 3-3.
Senior Sarah Yoos led off the inning with a single and advanced to third as classmate Hannah Dionne followed with a single that was mishandled by the Flyers, allowing advancement of both runners. A passed ball allowed Yoos to score to bring the Hawks within one, while pinch runner Kerrie Kortmann advanced to third.
Following a strikeout, Wilson stepped into the batter's box and delivered a game-tying double to right field, scoring Kortmann on the play.
Dayton had a chance to end it in the bottom of the ninth as they loaded the bases with one out, but SJU senior Anna Lauterbach, who came in for relief in the seventh, got a strike out and ground out to end the threat.
After a scoreless 10th, Wilson would give her team the lead in the top of the 11th on a solo home run with two outs to give the Hawks their first lead of the day.
Lauterbach would come back out for the bottom of the 11th and set Dayton down in order to pick up her second win on the season.
Dayton (9-13, 0-1 A-10) opened the game scoring three runs in the bottom of the first on a three-run home run by Lisa Tassi off SJU starter Ashley Ventura.
Ventura settled down from there and kept the Flyers off the board over the next five innings, while scattering three hits and striking out three.
Saint Joseph's got its first run of the day in the top of the third as Erica Nugent scored on a bases-loaded ground out by Taryn Grober.
The game would remain 3-1 until the seventh, when the Hawks rallied.
Individually, Wilson was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Amanda Kulp and Madeline Brunck each added a pair of hits.
Lauterbach allowed just two hits over five innings of relief, striking out five along the way.
Saint Joseph's and the Flyers cap their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader slated to start at noon.
