May 9, 2004

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

JAMAICA, N.Y. - The St. John's University softball team were swept by No. 22 Notre Dame this afternoon at Red Storm Field in their final doubleheader of the season. The Irish took game one, 8-1 and held off the Red Storm in game two, 3-0. St. John's finishes the 2004 season at 28-26 overall and 10-10 in the conference, while the Irish finish the regular season at 46-16 and 18-2 in the BIG EAST.

Notre Dame jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one. After a leadoff bunt single, a sacrifice bunt attempt by Nicole deFau was thrown away by starter Courtney Fitzgerald (Bellerose, N.Y.) allowing the runners to move up to second and third. However, Fitzgerald allowed only the one run to score on a infield groundout, escaping further trouble.

The Red Storm tied the game at one in the bottom of the first inning, on a RBI double by junior Allina Sainz (San Diego, Calif.). With two out, Sainz lined a double into the left centerfield gap, scoring freshman Tami Hill (San Diego, Calif.) all the way from first.

The Irish retook the lead at 2-1 in the top of the second inning. Nicole Wicks lead off with a double to left field and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Carrie Wisen followed by dropping a RBI single down the left field line for the 2-1 lead.

Notre Dame added another run in the top of the fourth inning to increase their lead to 3-1. Nicole Wicks led off the inning with a double to left field and stole third with Carrie Wisen at bat. Wisen followed by dropping a RBI single into left centerfield.

The Irish put two more runs on the board in the top of the fifth. With runners on first and second and one out, Liz Hartmann hit a single up the middle, but on the play Mallorie Lenn was thrown out at home by sophomore Jo Sherlock (San Diego, Calif.). On the play, the runners up to second and third and Nicole Wicks followed by reaching on an error by Hill, allowing both runs to score for the 5-1 lead.

St. John's threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning, but left the bases loaded with two out. The Red Storm loaded the bases on a single, an error and a walk, but Sainz would ground out to the pitcher to end the rally.

Notre Dame added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game away at 8-1. Nicole deFau plated the first run on a RBI single down the right field line and Mallorie Lenn followed by driving in two with a double into the right field corner.

The Irish jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of game two. Meagan Ruthrauff led off the inning with a home run to deep center for the game's first run. Nicole Wicks reached second on an error by junior Jillian Sandoval (Orange, Calif.) at third. After stealing third, Wicks scored on an infield RBI single by Sara Schoonaert.

Notre Dame starter Steffany Stenglein retired the first 14 Red Storm batters in the second game, but Sandoval broke up the perfect game with a double off the left field wall in the fifth inning. Freshman Loren Anguiano (Mesa, Ariz.) followed with a single to right field, but the runners were left at first and third as sophomore Jessica Marical (Stanton, Calif.) grounded out to third.

St. John's threatened again in the bottom of the sixth inning as sophomore Megan Oliver (Endicott, N.Y.) hit a one out double to left field. She moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt, but the Red Storm left a runner at third for the second straight inning.

The Irish added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, as they finally got to freshman Brittany Crouch (Irvine, Calif.). Crouch had pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Fitzgerald, before Sara Schoonaert hit a RBI double into right centerfield to score the run. On the play before, Sherlock threw Meagan Ruthrauff out at home on a single to centerfield by Nicole Wicks.