DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Villanova
Tellez Walks Off With a Slam
3/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CHICAGO - There was more walk-off magic in the air Saturday at Cacciatore Stadium.
Less than 24 hours after Morgan Maize ended the game with a two-run shot, Naomi Tellez blasted a grand slam to highlight DePaul's 13-3, five-inning BIG EAST Conference victory over Villanova.
The Blue Demons (11-20, 3-0) scored eight times in the bottom of the fifth to invoke the run-rule. Three singles, a hit-batsman and three consecutive walks preceded Tellez's seventh home run of the season.
It certainly compensated for the third inning when DePaul had the bases loaded, no outs and came up empty.
"We knew we should have scored in that inning," Tellez said about missing an opportunity to pad a 4-0 lead. "We were fortunate to have the chance to make up for it.
"I hit four or five hard foul balls, and seeing that many pitches, my timing was better. It was an inside pitch that I hit out. Seeing how hard our team works and to have an inning like that is really a rewarding feeling."
The Blue Demons put up a four spot in the second inning with a Tellez double followed by a Sabrina Kuchta home run over the left-field fence, a Dylan Christensen RBI double and Micah Fitzgerald's run-scoring sacrifice fly.
But a pair of errors in the fourth inning led to three runs and allowed Villanova (9-13, 0-3) back into the game. Back came DePaul in the bottom of the fourth with Dylan Christensen's leadoff homer to right.
"We have to play better defensively, and that went for the whole weekend," said DePaul coach Eugene Lenti. "But it was important that we got one run back right away with Dylan's homer. We always stress that when the other team scores, it's critical to respond right away.
"I'm proud of the way our offense had the team's back today. Morgan (winning pitcher Morgan Maize) wasn't as sharp as yesterday, but she did stop Villanova's rally after the errors let in three runs. All weekend, we picked each other up---whether it was the hitting or pitching."
Tellez went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Kuchta was 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Dylan Christensen was 2-for-2 and drove in two while Fitzgerald, Morgan Greenwood, Maize and Nicole Pihl each had an RBI.
Three home runs in one game reminded the Blue Demon coach about another team leaving the yard a lot this spring.
"It was like the White Sox," Lenti said with a smile about his favorite pro team. "We haven't hit a home run in a while, and it was good to those three today."
The Blue Demons are back in action Wednesday with a road game against Illinois State.
