The softball team played at the Dunkin’ Donuts classic at Florida Atlantic, but there was nothing sweet about the results as the team dropped all five games it played. The team opens its 2007 season on a disappointing note and with an 0-5 record.
East Carolina 11, St. John’s 0
In the final game of the tournament, the Red Storm (0-5) took on East Carolina (6-3) and fell behind early. East Carolina’s Kaui Tom’s two-run homerun and Vanessa Moreno’s two-run double highlighted a five-run Pirate first inning. East Carolina also put up two runs in the second and four more in the third inning. Red Storm freshman Ono Halladay got the team’s lone hit of the game in the third inning.
Michigan 2, St. John’s 1
In the fourth game of the tournament, St. John’s narrowly lost to No. 14 Michigan (7-1). Spring Montgomery got St. John’s on the board in the first inning when she singled home Danielle Estrada to give St. John’s its only run of the game. The Wolverines were held scoreless by Kimberly Lerch until the fifth inning when doubles by both Alessandra Giampaolo and Tiffany Worthy scored all of the Wolverine runs and gave St. John’s its fourth loss. Lerch lasted six innings giving up seven hits and two earned runs.
Maryland 8, St. John’s 1
The third time was not a charm for the softball team as it dropped the third game of the tournament against Maryland (2-1). The St. John’s offense faltered against Maryland’s Meredith Nelles and Stacey Jennings. The pair combined for six strikeouts and only three walks. Estrada scored the Red Storm’s only run on an error by Maryland (2-1) in the fifth inning.
Florida Atlantic 3, St. John’s 2
The second game of the first day was especially disappointing for the team. After playing a hard-fought game, the team lost in extra innings when Florida Atlantic’s Blair Bodenmiller singled to score Jenna Lopez and give the Owls (4-2) the final margin. St. John’s got on the board in the fourth and again in the eighth. Montgomery scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth inning to give St. John’s its first run. In the eighth, St. John’s scored in a more conventional way on a Brandy Reyes single to centerfield that scored Tami Hill from third base. Lerch once again pitched a strong game for the Storm. She went nine innings allowing, only one earned run and nine hits.
Long Island 7, St. John’s 3
In the opener of the tournament, Lerch came up big. This time though, her contribution was on the offensive side of the ball. In the bottom of the first inning, Lerch came to the plate with two runners on base and smacked the first Jenny Giles offering she saw over the leftfield fence for a three-run homerun and an early St. John’s lead. Unfortunately for the Storm, the lead would not last as the Blackbirds (1-0) scored five in the third and one in the fifth and seventh innings to get the final score.
St. John’s will have a chance to redeem itself next week. The team will travel to face East Carolina again when the Pirates host the East Carolina Classic next weekend, Feb. 23-25.
