DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
St. John's
Big-Time Clutch Hitting Brings DePaul BIG EAST Title
5/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Behind some big-time clutch hitting Saturday, DePaul won its third BIG EAST tournament championship in school history with an 8-3 victory over St. John's at The Ballpark At Rosemont.
The triumph earned the Blue Demons an automatic berth in next week's NCAA tournament.
DePaul (29-21) was trailing 2-1 when Haydn Christensen delivered a two-out, two-run single to highlight a three-run fifth inning and a 4-2 lead.
With Kayla Landwehrmier at third and one out, Megan Leyva flew out to center field for a sacrifice fly RBI. With runners at second and third, Haydn Christensen singled through the left side of the infield.
The Blue Demons scored the first run of the game in the top of the third. With two out and runners at first and second, Nicole Pihl dropped an RBI single in front of the St. John's center fielder.
St. John's (32-16) made its move in the bottom of the fourth after opening with back-to-back singles. Christina Melendez advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1 before Brittany Garcia lined a hit up the right-field line for an RBI triple that gave the Red Storm their only lead of the day.
St. John's pulled within a run in the bottom of the sixth when Christina Melendez bounced a double off the right field wall to score Hannah Anderson.
Looking for insurance in the top of the seventh, DePaul's Alysia Rodriguez came through with a two-run triple down the right-field line. Sabrina Kuchta's two-run single through the right side capped off the four-run outburst.
Down to their final three outs, the Red Storm loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. But winning pitcher Missy Zoch prevailed, inducing a ground ball to Haydn Christensen who threw to her sister Dylan Christensen at first for the final out and the BIG EAST tournament title.
Dylan and Haydn Christensen and Nicole Pihl each had two hits while Haydn, Kuchta and Rodriguez each had a pair of RBIs.
Dylan Christensen, Nicole Pihl, Haydn Christensen and Missy Zoch were selected to the all-tournament team with Dylan Christensen honored as the tournament MVP.
The Blue Demons will find out their first-round opponent and NCAA regional assignment on Sunday night when the NCAA tournament pairings are announced at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
