Feb. 20, 2011

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The St. John’s softball team could not battle back from an early deficit on Sunday, falling to tournament-host East Carolina, 8-0, in five frames in the Pirate Classic at ECU Softball Stadium.

East Carolina (7-4) scored the first run of the game in the bottom first. With two outs, Priscilla Velasquez hit a bloop single just over the reach of St. John’s starting pitcher Kat Lawrence to plate Kristi Oshiro from third base.

In the top of the second, St. John’s (4-6) put a runner on third but could not bring her in. Amber Curry led off the inning with a single to third and stole second base in the next at-bat. Curry advanced to third on a a 6-3 groundout, but the Red Storm left her stranded on the corner.

The Pirates extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom second when Jasmine Robbins hit a two-out, solo home run that just cleared the wall down the left-field line.

East Carolina plated four more runs in the third to take a 6-0 advantage. With one out and the bases loaded, Oshiro scored from third on a wild pitch. After Alex Fieldouse drew a walk to load the bases again, Linzee Sumrall entered the game in relief of Lawrence. Jordan Lewis followed with a single through the left side to plate Rebecca Lee and Priscilla Velasquez scored on a fielding error in left to give ECU a 5-0 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded again, Sissy Jimenez was hit by a pitch, scoring Lewis.

Kristi Cady was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth for the Red Storm. Two batters later, Curry singled to left field and Dominque Marcelino placed a bunt single to the left of the pitcher’s circle to load the bases. However, STJ came up empty-handed with a popup to the pitcher and a lineout to second to end the inning.

Red Storm freshman Aleshia Link entered the circle to start the bottom of the fourth, striking out Lee and Cicely Lopez and inducing a flyout to Cady in center field.

In the home fifth, ECU added two more runs to end the game. With the bases loaded, Abbey Wynne drew a walk to plate Lewis. Two batters later, Lee singled to short to score Jill Jelnick. Both runs were unearned as Jelnick reached on an error at short that moved Lewis up a base.

Curry went 2-of-2 in the game. Montez, Cady and Marcelino each recorded a hit in the loss.

Lawrence (3-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) over 2.1 frames. Sumrall was credited with two-thirds of a scoreless inning after pitching in the third with Lawrence’s runners on base. Link threw 1.1 frames and struck out three, allowing no earned runs.

ECU ace Toni Paisley (6-2) earned the win after striking out five over five scoreless innings.

The Red Storm will next head to Lubbock, Texas, to compete in the Texas Tech Tournament from Feb. 25-27. St. John’s will face Wichita State, Texas tech and Northern Illinois in the tournament.

NOTES: Kristi Cady enjoyed a strong weekend in the Pirate Classic, hitting .467 (7-of-15) with two home runs, one double, seven RBI, five runs and three stolen bases … Myriah Rodgers hit .429 (3-of-7) with a pair of doubles and two RBI … Chrissy Montez had a .353 batting average (6-of-17) on the trip with one triple, four RBI and one run … Chelsea Durning continued to shine as STJ’s leadoff hitter, batting .333 (6-of-18) with three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in the Pirate Classic.