April 6, 2008
Stats
Staten Island, NY - Sophomore Kate Eshelman (Reno, NV/McQueen) pitched a complete game shutout for the third time this season striking out five without walking any to lead the Seahawks to a victory in the first game, 4-0, of a Northeast Conference doubleheader that they would end up splitting to Saint Francis (PA) after losing the second game, 9-6. The Seahawks move to 13-12 overall, 3-3 in the NEC while the Red Flash are now 9-23, 1-3 in the NEC.
The Seahawks wound up even in the hit column in the opening game, five apiece, but were able to get a few clutch hits to drive across the four runs that wound up to be more than enough for Eshelman, who is now 4-3 on the season.
The biggest of those Green & White hits was a powerful opposite field homerun off the bat of junior designated player Jaclyn Vanore (Palisades Park, NJ/Paramus Catholic) that went over the right field fence (her third this season) driving in two RBI and giving the Seahawks a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
The fourth and final run of the game came in the next turn at bat when senior shortstop Katie Stevens (Reno, NV/Wooster) doubled in freshman centerfielder Emily Pierce (Phoenix, AZ/Desert Vista) on a shot to left-center.
The second game of the double-dip, however, wasn't as fortunate for the home Seahawks.
The Red Flash got out of the gate quick and bounced Wagner freshman hurler Heather Ochoa (Los Angeles, CA/Notre Dame) out of the game in just the first inning after four runs had scored. With two outs sophomore Danielle Wagoner (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley) came into relieve and got out of the inning unscathed by first letting up a walk but then getting the next batter to strike out swinging.
Saint Francis would take a 7-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on four hits and an error. The Seahawks would make it just a five-run lead for the Pennsylvania school in the following half when Katie Stevens scored on an illegal pitch and Jaclyn Vanore got credit for the sacrifice and the RBI on a groundball to second.
In the bottom of fifth the lead was cut again, this time to just four runs when senior catcher Victoria Batistelli (Huntington Beach, CA/Huntington Beach) drove in a run on an RBI double.
However, that run was negated in the top of the sixth when the Red Flash would get one across on a one-out RBI single up the middle.
Heading into the last of the seventh - the last chance for the Seahawks trailing 9-3 after Saint Francis scored one more time the previous half inning - Wagner looked like it had life left, the possibility of tying up the ballgame looking a whole lot brighter after Victoria Batistelli blasted her fourth homerun of the season with two runners on and two outs that made the score 9-6. The next batter however, junior infielder Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV/Wooster), was unable to keep the rally alive striking out to end the game and solidifying yet another NEC split doubleheader split for the Seahawks.
Ochoa got tagged with the loss which evened up her record at 6-6.
Wagner now looks to get some rest and come right back tomorrow afternoon, once again at the Lower Athletic Field, to take on the Colonials of Robert Morris in an NEC doubleheader that was postponed from Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
