DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Villanova
DePaul is Headed to the BIG EAST Title Game
5/12/2017 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The surging Blue Demons knocked off Villanova 4-0 Friday afternoon at the Ballpark at Rosemont in advancing to the BIG EAST Championship title game.
No. 2 seed DePaul (28-21) and No. 1 St. John's (32-15) will collide at 1:30 p.m. Saturday with the winner claiming an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.
Missy Zoch held Villanova scoreless in the semifinal game, earning her 13th win of the season. The freshman from Winchester, Texas only allowed two hits with four strikeouts and one walk. For the Wildcats (35-20), Brette Lawrence was hit with the loss.
Megan Leyva paced the offense with a pair of hits while Nicole Pihl did the most damage with a two-run triple in the first inning as DePaul won its fourth in a row.
Zoch found herself in trouble early, but escaped a bases-loaded situation in the top of the first by inducing back- to-back infield popups to get out of the inning.
DePaul struck first in the bottom of the first with two early runs. Dylan Christensen gave the Blue Demons their first baserunner of the game with a one-out walk. Jessica Cothern singled up the middle and then Pihl found the right center gap on a scorching line-drive triple.
The Blue Demons added a run to their tally in the third. With two outs and Dylan Christensen at third, Leyva tripled to the right center gap for a RBI, making it 3-0.
DePaul added an insurance run in the sixth. With Leyva at third base and one out, Haydn Christensen skied a fly ball to deep right field for an RBI sacrifice fly.
Zoch settled into a rhythm as the game progressed. After allowing a pair of hits to start the afternoon, the Blue Demon ace kept the Wildcats out of the hit column the rest of the way. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Zoch sent the Blue Demons into the BIG EAST finals striking out the final Wildcat.
The Blue Demons return to The Ballpark at Rosemont Saturday for the1:30 p.m. title game that will be telecast on FS2.
