Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The St. John's University softball team swept Seton Hall this afternoon, in a BIG EAST doubleheader played at Cameron Field in South Orange, N.J. The Red Storm behind a 10th inning grand slam by freshman Christina Tucker (San Diego, Calif.) and a complete game by senior Courtney Fitzgerald (Bellerose, N.Y.) took game one, 7-2, in 10 innings. In game two, St. John's scored four runs with two outs in the fourth inning to take the game, 5-1. The Red Storm improve to 17-15 overall and 3-1 in the conference, while the Pirates fall to 22-12 overall and 1-3 in BIG EAST play.

St. John's threatened in the top of the first of game one, but left runners stranded on second and third with one out. With one out, freshman Tami Hill (San Diego, Calif.) drew a walk and advanced up to third as sophomore Jo Sherlock (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a double over the left fielder's head. Seton Hall starter Megan Meyer retired the next two batters to escape trouble.

The Red Storm got on the board first as Sherlock drilled a two-run home run in the top of the third to open up a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Megan Oliver (Endicott, N.Y.) reached second with one out on a throwing error by the Pirate third baseman. After the inning's second out, Sherlock stepped up and hit her eighth home run of the season over the right field fence.

The Pirates responded in the bottom of the third to tie the game at two. After two leadoff walks, McKenzie Richards laid down a bunt, but the throw by junior Jillian Sandoval (Orange, Calif.) sailed into right field. On the play, one runs scored and the runners moved up to second and third. Next batter, D'arcy Djakalovic grounded out to shortstop scoring the inning's second and final run.

Both pitchers settled down after the third inning to shutdown the opposing lineups, as they both battle through some trouble but kept the game tied going into the 10th inning.

In the top of the 10th inning, the Red Storm offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by the grand slam by Tucker to take a 6-2 lead. Oliver led off the inning with an infield single to third. Hill attempted to sacrifice her over to second, but the third baseman threw the ball away, allowing the runners to move up to second and third. Sherlock was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. After the inning's first out, Tucker took the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her fifth home run of the season. St. John's kept the pressure on as with two outs freshman Loren Anguiano (Mesa, Ariz.) doubled to right center and sophomore Jessica Marical (Stanton, Calif.) followed with a single through the right side. With runners on the corners, the Red Storm attempted a double steal, with Anguiano safely sliding home for St. John's seventh run.

Fitzgerald set down the Pirates in the bottom of the tenth for the complete game victory. Fitzgerald, who improves to 8-1 on the season, allowed only one earned run, despite seven hits and five walks, and struck out three. Oliver and Sherlock recorded two hits and two runs scored for the Red Storm in game one, with Sherlock also driving in two on her home run.

Seton Hall threatened to score in the bottom of the first inning of the second game, as they loaded the bases with one out, on a walk and two bloop singles. However, starter Brittany Crouch (Irvine, Calif.) got Lindsay Trottier to line into a double play, as she hit it back to Crouch, who caught the ball and threw out the runner at third.

The Red Storm jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Tucker drilled her second home run of the afternoon. Tucker led off the inning and took the ball down the left field for her sixth home run of the season. St. John's continued the pressure as they moved runners up to second and third with two outs, but left them stranded to end the inning.

Seton Hall tied the game at one in the bottom of the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Katie Pierce. The Pirates began the inning with two singles and moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Pierce followed with the sacrifice fly to left field to even the score.

St. John's put together a two out rally in the top of the fourth inning to score four runs and retake the lead at 5-1. With two outs, Crouch led the stretch of four consecutive singles with a hit through the left side. Marical followed with a single of her own to right field, putting runners on the corners. Oliver drove home Crouch with a RBI single into left centerfield and Hill concluded the streak with a single through the left side to load the bases. After a Seton Hall pitching change, Sherlock walked, forcing in Marical. With the bases still loaded, Sainz stepped up and laced a two-RBI single to right center, scoring Oliver and Hill and giving St. John's the 5-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates loaded the bases with two outs on an infield single sandwiched between two walks. Fitzgerald, however, replaced Crouch and got Lindsay Trottier to ground into a force out to preserve the 5-1 lead.

The game ended in spectacular fashion as sophomore Blair Belloni (Newport, Ore.) robbed Katie Pierce of a home run, as she pulled the ball back for the game's final out. Fitzgerald went the last 2 1/3 innings for her first save of the season, allowing only one base runner to reach base, which was on an error.

Marical, Sainz and Oliver collected three hits over the doubleheader, while Tucker drove in a team-high five runs with her two home runs.

The Red Storm return to the diamond on Wednesday, April 14, when they travel to Hofstra for a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.