Seton Hall 3, Syracuse 1
Syracuse 3, Seton Hall 0
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Senior Haley Larsen threw a four-hit shutout in her final collegiate appearance, blanking Seton Hall 3-0 in game two of a doubleheader on Sunday, May 9. The Pirates won the first game, 3-1, in 10 innings on a walk-off home run. SU finished its 2004 campaign with a 25-29 overall record and a 9-11 BIG EAST record. The Pirates will go into the BIG EAST Tournament with a 41-17 record, including a 12-8 conference mark.
Larsen (8-14) notched her third shutout of the season, allowing only four hits. She struck out four and walked two, allowing only three runners to advance to third base for the game. Jessica Jones was the losing pitcher for the Pirates. Jones (9-5) threw six innings, allowing three runs on four hits. She struck out four and walked three.
Seton Hall’s D’Arcy Djakalovic hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the first game for the Pirates. McKenzie Richards started the rally with a two-out single through the left side of the infield. Djakalovic then hit the 1-0 pitch to end the game.
Freshman Courtney Mosch was the losing pitcher in the first game, allowing three runs on eight hits in nine and two-thirds innings. She struck out two and walked one. Mosch (17-15) finished her rookie season with 197 and two-thirds innings pitched, breaking the SU single-season record of 191 and one-third innings by Tara DiMaggio in 2000. Megan Meyer (22-6) was the winner for the Pirates, allowing one run on five hits in 10 innings. She struck out eight and walked two.
Sophomore Cassie Morales had one hit in the first game to break the SU single-season hits record. Her single down the right-field line was her 55th hit of the season breaking the old mark of 54 set by Tanya Rose in 2002. Rose provided Syracuse’s only run in the first game with a solo home run, her eighth of the season. The long ball also made Rose the first player in school history to score 40 runs in one season. Rose singled to lead off the second game, equaling Morales’ mark at 55 hits. She also stole her ninth and 10th bases of the season, including swiping home in the top of the first inning.
Junior Tiffany Robinson had two hits, an RBI and stole her ninth base of the season in as many tries. Mosch and sophomore Alexis Switenko contributed singles in game one. Junior catcher Katie Kaempfer reached base twice in game two with a single and a walk.
Katie Pierce and McKenzie Richards paced the Pirates with two hits on the day. Mary Carroll Smith also had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Laura Taylor added a single and a walk. Tracy Myhren doubled in game two.
Rose put SU ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth with a shot over the center-field fence. It was the Orangewomen’s first hit of the game. The Pirates came back to tie the game in the home half of the inning on an RBI single by Smith.
Neither team could dent the plate until Djakalovic’s two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. It was the Orangewomen’s eighth loss of the season in their opponents’ final at-bat.
Syracuse scored first in the top of the opening frame in game two. Rose led off with a single, stole second and was sacrificed to third by senior Rachel Park. After Morales was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, Rose was able to steal home when the Seton Hall catcher attempted a pick-off at first base after a missed squeeze attempt.
The Orangewomen scored their second run in the top of the third without the benefit of a hit. Park was hit by a pitch and moved to third on two wild pitches. Morales drew a walk and moved to second on a groundout. The third wild pitch of the inning allowed Park to cross the plate. SU put up its third run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Robinson.
Syracuse will be the home of the 2004 BIG EAST Championship held on Thursday, May 13-15 at the SU Softball Stadium. Notre Dame will be the top seed of the four-team event followed by Seton Hall, Villanova and Boston College.
