After losing to the Hofstra Pride on Saturday, the Red Storm women’s softball team was struggling, while preparing for the start of the Big East season.
Last night, St. John’s begun to right its ship by sweeping a double-header against the Yale University Bulldogs, 2-0 and 5-3.
In the first game, senior Gina Calabrese had a complete game two-hitter for St. John’s, and improved her record to 7-7 this season. “She threw very well today. She was very consistent and the defense played very well behind her,” Head Coach Melody Cope said.
Red Storm second baseman Alesha Argeras provided all of the offense that St. John’s would need. In the first inning, she scored on “aggressive baserunning,” said Cope.
Argeras added to the Red Storm lead by launching a homer in the top of the third, which gave St. John’s its margin of victory.
It is a victory of sorts for Argeras and the team. During the off-season, she had hip surgery and had been workin her way back.
“She’s just getting back into the line-up. She was the DH in the first game and played the field in the second. It’s real key to get her back in going into Big East competition,” Cope said.
In the night cap, the Bulldogs jumped on Courtney Fitzgerald for three runs in the first three innings. However, she settled down and did not allow a run for the remainder of the game.
The offense picked up the slack for Fitzgerald, scoring runs in the first, fourth and sixth, to tie the game 3-3.
The score was still deadlocked in the eighth inning, 3-3, when the Red Storm made the trip a joyous and successful one. With a runner on third, Marilyn Brown drove the third pitch she saw over the left-centerfield wall to give St. John’s the lead it would not relinquish, 5-3.
Cope was pleased with the performances from Brown and Fitzgerald. “She [Fitzgerald] struggled early, but settled in the fourth. She was a little jittery in the first couple of innings, but did a great job,” said Cope.
“Marilyn has been struggling at the plate,” Cope added. “She did a great job at the plate [today]. She made a couple of great defensive plays in the first game. It was a great day all the way around.”
Cope said that the Red Storm (12-15, 0-0) needs to experience success in the early season games to prepare itself for the Big East schedule. “The team’s a little upset with the Big East polls. These games were real key for us. It’s important for us to get on a roll before starting Big East competition.”
Pride Sinks Red Storm
On Saturday afternoon, the Red Storm dropped a 3-2 decision to their local rival Hofstra University at Hofstra Stadium.
St. John’s was held to just three hits in seven innings as their offensive attack was stalled.
Courtney Fitzgerald took the loss for the Red Storm after relieving freshman starter Kate Cucciniello in the second inning. Fitzgerald allowed one run on six hits while striking out three.
St. John’s dropped to 10-15 while Hofstra improves 5-15.
In the top of the fourth, St. John’s got the equalizing run as Jessica Shepherd brought in Ann Raab as she reached first on the error.
In the top of the sixth, senior right fielder Lisa Ciavardini made a diving catch on the base line on a hit by Raab to make the third out of the inning and holding off the Red Storm.
The Red Storm held on into the bottom of the seventh inning when sophomore Amanda Hallaway drove the ball deep into the outfield to bring in the winning run.
-Jen Pugsley contributed to this story.
