DePaul Bounces St. John’s to Setup Matchup with No. 2 Villanova on Friday

Thursday, May 11

Storrs, Conn.

5:55 P.M. CT

DePaul University

19-31

No. 5 St. John's

23-29

DePaul

St. John's

DePaul Bounces St. John’s to Setup Matchup with No. 2 Villanova on Friday

5/11/2023 9:37:00 PM | SOFTBALL

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Blue Demons take down Red Storm 8-4 on day two of 2023 BIG EAST Tournament

STORRS, Conn. – DePaul went off for a five-run third inning and never looked back in an 8-4 rout of St. John's on Thursday at the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament.

The Blue Demons defense prevented runs in the early stages, leaving six St. John's runners in scoring position through three innings, to give the bats the confidence to knock in runs.

Offensively, Nicole Sullivan drove in three runs including a two-run home run and a bases-loaded walk. Both Tori Meyer and Brooke Johnson put together three-for-four outings, with Meyer driving in a trio of runs and Johnson plating a run while crossing the plate twice herself.

Designated player Carly Alvers went two-for-three with an RBI while Anna Wohlers also drove in a run on a base knock through the right side.

Right-hander Abbey Pochie threw five innings, surrendering just two runs on nine hits to pick up her third win of the season. Bella Nigey entered in relief in the sixth and retired six of the last eight batters to hold on for the victory.

How it Happened
Pochie worked out of danger from the start, leaving a pair of Red Strom runners in scoring position after a DePaul error and base hit down the left field line.

The Blue Demons left the bases loaded in the second as Meyer and Alvers worked base hits before Frazier drew a walk, but all were left stranded.

DePaul (19-31) used a five-run third inning to take command of the game. Sullivan drew a walk, Cosgrove was hit by a pitch and Johnson plated the first run of the game on a base hit through the left side. Wohlers followed suit with a single through the right side to make the score 2-0. Meyer doubled the score with a two-RBI single up the middle before Sullivan drew a bases-loaded walk at the turn of the lineup to make the advantage, 5-0.

The top of the fourth saw the Blue Demons add another run as Johnson and Meyer put runners on the corners with base hits and Alvers plated one on a single to right field to make it a six-run ball game.

Sullivan would add two-more for DePaul in the sixth on a two-run home run over the left center wall, bringing Talbot home with her as the Blue Demons widened their lead to 8-0 after four and a half.

St. John's wouldn't go down easily, registering a two-out, two-run homer to narrow the deficit to six after five complete.

Nigey halted the Red Storm momentum, laying down St. John's for the first time all game to take the Blue Demons to the seventh inning.

The Johnnies answered back with another two-out, two-run homer to pull within four, but a fly out to right field would end the game and send the Blue Demons into Friday.

Up Next
DePaul moves on to face No. 2 seed Villanova on Friday, May 11. First pitch from Burrill Family Field is slated for 2 p.m. CT with coverage on FloSoftball. The Wildcats fell to third-seeded Seton Hall 9-6 in their first game of the tournament on Thursday.