DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Seton Hall
Dodd, Ciezki Team Up for Late Heroics
4/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
April 28, 2012
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - After DePaul had given up a three-run lead Saturday, Lynsey Ciezki and Samantha Dodd came to the rescue.
Ciezki's two-out double in the top of the ninth inning and Dodd's RBI single to center field gave the Blue Demons a 4-3 BIG EAST Conference victory over Seton Hall.
Winning pitching Kirsten Verdun (21-11) retired the Pirates in order---including a pair of strikeouts---in the bottom of the inning.
Verdun went nine innings and gave up the three runs on six hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk. The DePaul sophomore ace now has 39 strikeouts in her last three games.
Paige Peterson had a big game offensively with three hits---including a solo home run---and also scored on a stolen base and error.
Dodd was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Ciezki 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Verdun had one hit and two walks and Allie Braden was 1-for-4.
DePaul (29-18, 10-7 in the BIG EAST) seized a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning after Ciezki led off with a single to left and advanced to third on an error. As if rehearsing her final at-bat, Dodd drilled a single to right field and Ciezki came home.
An inning later, Peterson connected on a solo home run over the left-field fence for a two-run lead. It was the freshman outfielder's third homer of the season.
In the sixth inning, Peterson punched a two-out single to right field and advanced to second after a Bree Brown walk. Peterson then stole third and scored on an error.
Seton Hall (20-28, 2-15) put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning. Maria DeLuca singled and went to third on Kristen Kaelin's double. A wild pitch allowed DeLuca to score.
Meredith Henze's single scored pinch-runner Sara Haefeli. After Verdun struck out ex-Benet Academy star Laura Canulli, Nicole Lowenstein walked. Bridget Constantino's base hit to center drove in Henze, but Dodd threw out Lowenstein at home plate.
Verdun was expected to start in game two of the doubleheader at Seton Hall.
