DePaul Blanks Providence For Third-Straight #BIGEASTsb Title Game Appearance
Second-seeded Blue Demons defeat third-seeded Friars, 4-0, and will face No. 4 seed Villanova for the crown on Saturday
Box Score
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Second-seed DePaul jumped on No. 3 seed Providence in the first inning and never looked back to earn a 4-0 win in the second semifinal of the BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by Jeep. The Blue Demons will seek a third-straight tournament title and accompanying NCAA Championship berth when they face No. 4 seed Villanova at the Ballpark at Rosemont on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. CT on FS1.
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year sophomore Maranda Gutierrez ignited the DePaul offense with a single to left field in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Morgan Greenwood drew a walk to get on base before sophomore Kate Polucha connected on a three-run home run to put the Blue Demons up early, 3-0.
Senior Alysia Rodriguez smacked a leadoff double to left field, but the Blue Demons could not generate any runs in the second. Senior Jackie Martin led off the top of the third with a double to deep center field for Providence, but Blue Demon starting pitcher sophomore Natalie Halvorson escaped the inning to keep the Friars scoreless.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, DePaul senior Brianna Viles advanced to first on a dropped ball third strike error while sophomore Skylor Hilger scored to go up 4-0. The top of the fifth saw Providence sophomore Molly McGarry double to right field and Martin single to second base, but Halvorson closed out the inning to preserve the shutout.
Both teams went down quietly in the sixth inning. Halvorson secured the complete game, shutout victory in the seventh to send DePaul to its third-straight BIG EAST Championship title game.
BIG EAST Co-Freshman of the Year Daniela Alvarez finished with a game-high seven strikeouts for the Friars. Halvorson went seven innings without allowing a run and tallied five strikeouts as DePaul moves to 33-14. Providence ends its season at 30-22, after going 13-32 a year ago.