DePaul Overcomes Five-Run Deficit, Sweeps St. John’s

Sunday, March 14

Queens, N.Y.

11:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

10-7, 0

St. John's

3-5, 0

DePaul Blue Demons

St. John's

DePaul Overcomes Five-Run Deficit, Sweeps St. John’s

3/14/2021 2:51:00 PM | SOFTBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Blue Demons use four-run sixth inning to take down Red Storm

QUEENS, N.Y. – St. John's raced out to an early 7-2 lead after two innings, but DePaul mounted a methodical comeback to capture a 9-8 win and sweep the weekend series at Red Storm Field.

Freshman Nicole Sullivan tallied four RBI's including the go-ahead run, while Kate Polucha and Pearl Barroso recorded two RBI's apiece. Jessica Cothern and Barroso led DePaul with three hits each on the outing while Polucha notched two.

Natalie Halvorson did not allow an earned run to cross the plate in six innings of work as the senior came away with her third win of the season.

The bottom of the first inning saw St. John's (3-5, 0-3 BIG EAST) jump out to an early lead behind three hits and two walks to take a 4-0 advantage.

DePaul (10-7, 3-0 BIG EAST) answered with two runs of their own in the second inning. Cothern slapped a leadoff single to center field before Brooke Johnson drew a walk. Tori Meyer and Sullivan reached on back-to-back fielder's choice plays before Barroso came to the plate and doubled to right center to score the runners and make the score 4-2.

The scoring continued for the Red Storm in the bottom of the third with three runs crossing the plate to make it a 7-2 ball game behind a hit and two DePaul defensive errors.

The Blue Demons drew one run closer in the top of the fourth inning. Johnson drew a leadoff walk and Meyer reached on an error before a Sullivan RBI single brought Johnson home to close the deficit to four at 7-3. At the next at bat, Barroso knocked in a single to left field to load the bases. DePaul would leave the bases loaded after Hilger and Scalzitti each hit into a fielder's choice and Gutierrez grounded out to second.

In the top of the fifth, Cothern recorded her second hit of the day on a single to left center before Johnson doubled to left field. Meyer came to the plate and singled up the middle to bring Cothern home. Sullivan hit into a fielder's choice to score Johnson and DePaul was within two, 7-5.

Two hits from the Red Storm in the bottom of the fifth set up a scoring chance as a DePaul defensive error allowed the runner on second to cross the plate and increase the advantage to 8-5.

The Blue Demons used a four-hit, four-run sixth inning to take the lead for good. Gutierrez reached base off of a single to left field and Kate Polucha brought her home on a two RBI homer to left field to pull DePaul within striking distance at 8-7. Cothern singled to center and Meyer drew a walk to put runners on first and second before Sullivan singled to right field and scored the go-ahead run with Meyer and Zoie Rettig running home to give DePaul its first lead of the day at 9-8.

Halvorson allowed just one hit in the last two innings to close out the contest and secure a DePaul sweep.

DePaul is back in action on Saturday, March 20th as Providence comes to Chicago for a three-game series. Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 12 p.m. CT from Cacciatore Stadium while Sunday's contest will air on FS1 from the Ballpark at Rosemont at 1:30 p.m.