April 4, 2009

Box Score

BRONX, N.Y. - Despite a 3-for-4 performance from junior catcher Brooke Darreff that included a three-run home run for her 100th career hit, the Saint Joseph's softball team fell at Fordham, 8-6, in game one of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Murphy Field.

The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 edge in the top of the first as Darreff blasted a three-run homer to left field,scoring sophomore Dana Bieniek and freshman Monica Aguilar on the play. The drive made Darreff the 24th Hawk in program history to hit the 100-hit plateau.

Saint Joseph's stranded four runners over the next three innings, and held a 3-0 edge going into the bottom of the fourth. Unfortunately for the Hawks, Fordham's offense came alive for four runs on five hits off Saint Joseph's senior pitcher Dani Gonzales. Jocelyn Dearborn's RBI single got the Rams on the board, while Fordham would plate three on a double by Beckah Wiggins to take the lead, 4-3.

Saint Joseph's answered back in the top of the fifth to tie the game at four all on a sacrifice foul out to right field by freshman Bernadette Moran that scored Aguilar from third.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, they would strand two more runners, and in the bottom half of the fifth, the Rams would tack on four more runs. Fordham plated four runs on five hits for the second inning straight against Gonzales, opening an 8-4 edge.

But again the Hawks refused to give in, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-6 game. Senior Beka Shumock plated the first run of the inning for SJU on fielding error by the Rams' second baseman, while Aguilar scored on a RBI double by Darreff.

Down two in the top of the seventh, Saint Joseph's Moran singled with one out, brining the tying run to the plate. Unfortunately for SJU, Fordham's Chelsea Plimpton got out of the jam and retired the next two Hawks to end the game.

Individually, Darreff and Gonzales were the only two SJU players to record multiple hits, with Darreff adding four RBI, while Gonzales went 2-of-4 at the plate. On the mound, Gonzales fell to 7-7 on the year with the loss, allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits in 5.0 innings, while striking out one. Aguilar added a team-best three runs for SJU.