The St. John’s softball team suffered a pair of heartbreaking defeats to Rutgers Saturday
afternoon, losing 3-2 and 7-6. The Red Storm
are now 11-28 on the season and just 3-9 in
Big East play.

In the first game, a Rutgers error following
consecutive singles by Roxann Struble and
Brandy Reyes allowed the Red Storm to jump
out to an early 1-0 lead.

The Scarlet Knights would respond in
the bottom of the second inning off an RBI
double by Shantai Dixon. Two wild pitches
by Red Storm starter Lisa Greer allowed
the Knights to later plate their second run
of the inning.

Shauntaine Harris led off the seventh
inning with a double, sparking a late rally for
the Red Storm. Tami Hill laced a clutch twoout
double to drive in Harris, knotting the
score at 2-2.

Greer would retire the first two batters she
faced in the bottom of the seventh, but served
up a walk-off home run to Rutgers Kristen
Madoch to give the Scarlet Knights the victory.

Rutgers 7, St. John’s 6
St. John’s opened the scoring off a firstinning
RBI single by Spring Montgomery.
The Red Storm promptly gave the lead back
to Rutgers in the bottom of the inning, however,
after a double by Madoch and two
walks loaded the bases. Rutgers’ Kim
Hodges drove in two off a single for a 2-1
Rutgers lead.

A three-run second inning by the Scarlet
Knights chased starter Kim Lerch out of the
game after recording just four outs. It was a
rough outing for Lerch, who gave up five runs
on five hits while handing out two walks.
With Rutgers enjoying a 5-1 lead, Roxann
Struble went to work for the Johnnies.

Struble
hit a solo home run in the third inning and
then hit a three-run homer to tie the score at
5-5 in the fifth inning.

Rutgers would take a 6-5 lead in the sixth
inning after a fielders choice allowed Shantai
Dixon to score. Once again, the Storm would
tie the game in the top of the seventh after
Brandy Reyes drove in Loren Anguiano to
make it 6-6.

The game would extend into the ninth
inning where once again some late inning
heroics by Madoch would finish off St.
John’s. Lisa Greer, who threw seven
innings in relief of Lerch, walked the
Scarlet Knights Amanda Shaw. With Shaw
on first, Madoch smashed a double off the
left-field wall for her second walk- off hit
of the day, giving Rutgers a hard- fought 7-6 victory.