March 28, 2007 - St. John's 8 Rider 6 / St. John's 8 Rider 2
March 28, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Softball
St. John’s University 8, Rider University 6
St. John’s University 8, Rider University 2
BRONX, NY—Despite a five-hit day from junior Tiffany Day-Neutill (Agoura Hills, Calif./Oaks Christian), the Broncs lost two in the Bronx, falling to the Red Storm of St. John’s. “Tiffany is seeing the ball and reading where the defense is,” said head coach Tricia Carroll. “With the lineup starting to hit behind her, just having her get on base is causing problems for our opponents.”
In the first game, St. John’s stormed back from a 4-2 deficit in the sixth inning, scoring six times before holding off a two-run rally by Rider (5-15) in the seventh.
Freshman Candice Harris (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado) had two doubles and three RBI with fellow rookie Derrin Minunni (Cohoes, N.Y./Shaker) adding two hits, including a double and two RBI as Rider had nine hits.
“Overall, I thought we hit the ball well today,” said Carroll. “We only struck out three times in the two games so we are putting the ball in play and making solid contact. We are getting more comfortable and confident at the plate.”
Junior Jessica Holland (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) took the loss, going five innings. “Jess did a good job,” Carroll said. “She did what she was supposed to do and that’s have them put the ball in play. We just have to do a better job behind her. It looks like a hit in the book but we all know that some of the plays, we need to get a better read on. We are still giving our opponents more than three outs in an inning and we don’t have that dominate 'strikeout out everyone' pitcher so we need to shore up the defense. Three bad innings all day cost us two games and we are a better team than that.”
In game two, Minunni had two more hits and two RBI, including a run scoring double that gave Rider a 1-0 lead in the first inning. St. John’s put up single runs in the first and second and adding three runs each in the third and fourth innings to put the game away.
“Derrin [Minunni] and Candice [Harris] both did well today,” Carroll added. “With the way Tiffany is hitting, the lineup is starting to become dangerous and that’s what we need top to bottom. If our opponents get an out, they are going to have to earn it and we started doing that better today by battling and not striking out. Putting the ball in play puts pressure on the defense.”
The Broncs host Columbia in a non-conference doubleheader April 5.
-RU-
