DePaul Advances to its Second-Straight #BIGEASTsb Title Game
Box Score
CHICAGO - Top-seeded DePaul opened Friday's BIG EAST Softball Championship Presented by Jeep semifinal action by knocking off No. 4 seed Villanova by a score of 12-2. The Blue Demons advance to the BIG EAST title game Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT, where they will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal match between No. 2 Creighton and No. 3 St. John's. The championship game will be broadcast on FS2 with John Fanta as play-by-play, Dave Bernhard as color analyst and Bob Brainerd as sideline reporter.
Defensively the Blue Demons opened the contest strong with sophomore pitcher Missy Zoch retiring the first three batters she faced. In the bottom of the first, Jessica Cothern got things started offensively for DePaul, advancing to second base off an error. Moments later Morgan Greenwood collected an RBI single to give the Blue Demons the early 1-0 advantage heading into the second.
Villanova quickly struck back when Dana Morris drilled a two-run homer to left field, to put the Wildcats out in front 2-1. Nova looked to keep building momentum in the top of the third, with two runners on base, but Zoch closed out the frame with a strikeout and forcing a ground out to keep the deficit to only one run.
In the bottom of the third, the Royal Blue and Scarlett attack caught fire scoring six runs in the inning. With the bases loaded Greenwood collected her second RBI on the afternoon with a single, before Megan Leyva picked up an RBI single of her own to put the Blue Demons up 3-2. With two outs in the inning, Alysia Rodriguez capitalized on an RBI single, before Angela Scalzitti belted a three-run homer to left field, as DePaul took a commanding five-run lead, 7-2, into the top of the fourth.
DPU continued to build momentum, after Zoch forced a ground out and struck out two straight Villanova batters. In the bottom of the fourth Kate Polucha walked up to the plate looking to increase the lead. Opening the bottom of the frame with a triple, Cothern followed it up with a double to center field to pick up the RBI and push the advantage to 8-2. Rodriguez than reached on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second off an error, as Leyva and Erin Andris crossed home plate. Scalzitti closed out the game with two more RBI, hitting a double to put DePaul up 12-2.
Zoch closed out the game with two more strikeouts, her fifth and sixth of the game, as DePaul sealed a 12-2 run-rule victory to advance to the BIG EAST Championship game. With the win the Blue Demons collected their ninth straight-victory over BIG EAST foes, and will play in the title game for the second straight season.