And no one has mentioned that phenomenal play by the SHU center fielder, a leaping catch to rob a home run in the top of the 7th. Huge play.
Pirates Open BIG EAST Softball Championships Today
- Thread starter Halldan1
- Start date
Unfortunately, Big East softball doesn’t compare with the SEC, Pac 12 and others. It’s another world.
SHU did get an at-large once, but that was in the old Big East.
Best to just win one game on Saturday and take care of it themselves.
Northeast softball is tough. The better talent is typically in the pac 12 big 12 and sec...michigan and northwestern have had some great success in the last two decades and hofstra has had some close calls at regionals
Smith's Grand Slam Powers Pirates Into Championship Game - Seton Hall University Athletics
The Pirates will have two chances on Saturday to win the program's first BIG EAST title since 2005.
Smith's Grand Slam Powers Pirates Into Championship Game
Storrs, Conn – Behind a grand slam from Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas) and stellar pitching in relief from Kelsey Carr (Ridgewood, N.Y.), the Pirates advanced to the BIG EAST Championship Game with a 6-4 victory over No. 1 seed UConn on Friday afternoon. The Pirates will have two chances on Saturday to win the program's first BIG EAST title since 2005.
How it Happened
Each time UConn scored in this game, the Pirates immediately responded with runs of their own. The first instance came in the second inning, when an RBI double gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half, Seton Hall answered right back thanks to an RBI double of their own from Hannah Alexander (Wrightstown, N.J.).
UConn would manufacture another run in the third, as a sacrifice fly gave the top seed a 2-1 advantage. The Pirates came back up to the plate ready to hit, as singles from Ashly Colonnetta (Cypress, Texas) and Taylor Hill (Little Falls, N.J.) plus a walk from Carr loaded the bases for Smith. The senior rocketed a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left field for a grand slam, giving Seton Hall a 5-2 lead.
After a scoreless fourth, UConn began to chip away at the deficit in the fifth. Three singles, including an RBI knock from Grace Jenkins, brough the Huskies back within two and chased Smith from the circle. Carr came on in relief, surrendering a sacrifice fly but getting out of the inning with the Pirates maintaining a one-run lead.
With the Huskies desperately in search of a shutdown inning, the Pirates had other ideas. After back-to-back strikeouts to open the inning, the scorching-hot hitting Smith was intentionally walked with the bases empty. The Pirates made the Huskies pay for the decision, as back-to-back singles from Abby Wingo (Portland, Ore.) and Olivia Gilbert (Johnston, R.I.) plated the sixth Pirate run of the day.
After a clean sixth, Carr went back to the circle in the seventh needing three outs to solidify the victory. Lexi Hastings led off the inning for the Huskies with a long fly ball to center field. Wingo retreated to the wall, leaped up and brought back what would have been a solo home run.
After a one-out single, Carr was able to get the final two outs to send the Pirates to Championship Saturday.
Notes & Numbers
- The Pirates will have two opportunities to win just one game to claim the program's third BIG EAST title and first since 2005.
- This will be Seton Hall's first appearance in the championship game since 2015, which was also the last time the Pirates qualified for the tournament.
- Smith is batting .667 (6-for-9) with two home runs, two doubles and 11 RBI in the BIG EAST Championship so far.
- Smith's grand slam was the fourth of the season for the Pirates.
- Hill scored her 47th run of the season, tying her with Katie Pierce for the single-season program record.
- Both of Gilbert's hits during this week's tournament have driven in runs, the other being her game-tying solo home run on Wednesday against DePaul.
The Pirates will play for their first BIG EAST championship since 2005 on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 4 p.m. on FS2. The if necessary game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start time on FS1.
Not sure if they use any other metric in addition to the RPI? They were listed at #97 as of 5/12. Hoping they just take care of business today and I believe they will. On the other hand are they considered a Bubble Team if they did not? I understand the RPI is about SOS, but you would hope they look at other factors. The eye test says that SHU is a decent college team, but it is hard to gauge.
Top of the third and the Pirates get another one across. Now up 5-0. Nice showing of Pirate faithful in the stands as well.
Worked out of first and second with no outs two innings in a row. Lead 5-0 in the top of the 5th.
6-1 into the 7th! And the last out of the 6th for Nova was the Conference player of the year. So…hopefully won’t see her again!
Go ladies!
I'll let everybody else post about the game and I'll just read. I don't want to toot my horn but I did post before the season to watch out for this team and that they were underrated. Congratulations to the team and coaches !!!!!!!
Great win. They tore through the field to win this championship. Dominant way to win!
They may have lost the battle (regular season crown) but they won the war (tournament champions)!
Very fun game to watch today. Great hitting and dominant pitching. Let's get Carr some rest!
Phenomenal accomplishment/turnaround in year 2!!!!
Woo-Hoo ! Great job by the Lady Pirates ! Way to dominate the field. Keep it going in the NCAAT !
That is why you are fan of the year!.
Wow. Loved the pitcher's moxey. 2 on no outs two innings in a row. Nothing across. She never lost it and closed it out . So impressed. Yeah, it can be easy pitching when you are ahead but you still need to do it. Lots dont. She and her teammates did it.
I read they walked smith 2 out none on yesterday. Her first at bat today said why. We took advantage of the early opportunities. Ahead for good
So happy for and proud of the team.
Congrats Ladies on a job well done. Fantastic season. Good luck in the NCAAs!
Awesome, congrats ladies!
Great hire by Felt. Our Coach took an embarrassment of a program and turned it into Big East champs in her second season.
Great hire by Felt. Our Coach took an embarrassment of a program and turned it into Big East champs in her second season.
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