DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Texas Tech
DePaul Not "All-In" for Desert Classic Finale
2/19/2012 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
Feb. 19, 2012
LAS VEGAS - There was something missing with these Blue Demons on Sunday.
Call it a lack of energy as DePaul finished up the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Texas Tech.
There was certainly no energy shortage in DePaul coach Eugene Lenti's postgame analysis
"We came out really flat," Lenti said as the Blue Demons could only muster three hits against winning pitcher Brittany Talley after ripping awayon Saturday for 11 runs and 21 hits in wins over No. 24 Louisiana State and Brigham Young, which is receiving votes in both national softball polls.
"I'd say we were poor in every aspect of the game. The offense didn't show up and the base running was poor. Our pitching wasn't sharp and we didn't execute our short game.
Our No. 3 and 4 hitters left runners in scoring position every time they came up.
DePaul (6-4) took a 1-0 lead after Megan Coronado opened the top of the second inning with a walk, advanced on Staci Bonezek's sacrifice bunt and Katelyn Braget's single before crossing home plate on Bree Brown's base hit to center field.
In the bottom of the second, Texas Tech (6-4) responded with Adriana Perez's solo home run. Sandy James' game-winning base hit in the bottom of the fifth enabled the Red Raiders to win their fifth in a row.
On the contrary, a lack of clutch hitting contributed to the end of DePaul's three-game winning streak.
The Blue Demons could not bring in a runner from third on three occasions. Their best chance to attack Talley came in the fifth when the Texas Tech starter hit Allie Braden and Lynsey Ciezki to put runners on first and second with no outs. Talley toughened up and retired the next three batters.
"Give their pitcher credit," Lenti said. "She got stronger as the game went on and used her changeup effectively.
"But we also did not have good at-bats. We went up there with the wrong thought process."
The Blue Demons went 3-2 in the competitive Desert Classic.
"Before the trip, I would have taken a 3-2 record here," Lenti said. "But after the big wins against LSU and BYU, we were in a good position to go 4-1. Now, 3-2 is just okay."
Next up is the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla. where DePaul faces Massachusetts and No. 23/20 Georgia Tech on Friday.
NOTES: Ciezki led off the game with a double and also had a walk... Brown was 1-for-3 with the lone RBI while Braget also went 1-for-3... Connolly was 0-for-2 with a run scored and a walk... Staci Bonezek had two sacrifice bunts... Verdun pitched six innings giving up two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts and no walks... Verdun hit .437 at the Desert Classic with three RBIs and one run... Samantha Dodd batted .375 in Las Vegas with three RBIs and three runs... Coronado hit .313 with one RBI and two runs... so far this season, Verdun leads the team with a .414 batting average and is tied with Coronado in hits with 12... Ciezki is at .355 and is tied with Coronado in runs with seven... Coronado is batting .343 with two home runs and six RBIs... Dodd is at .313 with one home run and five RBIs... Mary Connolly is hitting .308 and leads the team with three home runs and seven RBIs... DePaul is outhitting its opponents .267-.232 and outscoring them 43-29... the Blue Demons have hit 10 home runs in 10 games compared to 30 in 56 games last season... Brown is 2-0 in the circle with a 1.84 earned-run average while Verdun is 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA... Hannah Penna is 0-1 with a 1.91 ERA.
