Senkevich Belts Three Homers, Herforth Tosses One-Hitter in Softball Doubleheader Split Against Williams Paterson, 4-0 and 11-3
Mark Becker
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (April 4, 2013) – Junior third baseman
Stephanie Senkevich (Washington, N.J.) slugged three home runs and senior
Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) threw a one-hit shutout as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team split a doubleheader with William Paterson University on Thursday evening, taking Game One, 4-0, but falling in the nightcap, 11-3.
Stevens improves to 2-16 this spring while William Paterson improves to 7-11.
Senkevich became just the seventh player in NCAA Division III history to hit back-to-back home runs, and just missed making it three consecutive by one at-bat in Game Two.
Stevens 4, William Paterson 0
The first game was a pitcher’s duel through the first three innings. Each team had only one base runner in the first two innings combined, and although William Paterson threatened to score with runners at second and third and two outs in the top of the third, Stevens got out of the inning still scoreless. The Ducks had a chance of their own in the bottom of the frame as junior shortstop
Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) advanced to third on a perfect bunt by freshman left fielder
Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.) with two outs, but as Risman-Jones stole second, DeFeo was caught in a rundown at home plate to end the inning.
Herforth breezed through the fourth inning, allowing a leadoff hit-by-pitch but getting a heads-up unassisted double play from freshman second baseman
Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.) and punching out the next batter to keep her no-hitter intact. That was all the room the Ducks needed, as freshman right fielder
Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth and senior catcher
Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) beat out a bunt for a single to set Senkevich up for her first home run of the day, a towering three-run shot to left field that put the Ducks up 3-0. Stevens almost added to the lead with a walk and single immediately after, but could not get the runners past second base.
Herforth finally gave up her only hit of the game on a backdoor changeup that left too much spin on the ball for Spitz to field cleanly, but quickly ended the inning with a strikeout and groundout to Spitz. The Pioneers would lead off the top of the sixth with another walk and the runner advanced to third with two outs, but again Herforth kept William Paterson off the board.
Senkevich then became only the seventh player in NCAA Division III history to hit back-to-back home runs as she sent a solo shot to straightaway centerfield in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Ducks the 4-0 lead. William Paterson tried to change things up with a trio of pinch-hitters in the top of the seventh, but Herforth would have none of it, getting swinging strikeouts on the final two outs to end the game.
Dempsey was 1-2 with a walk and run while Risman-Jones stole her sixth base of the season in as many attempts. Herforth struck out a career-high nine batters while limiting the Pioneers to just four walks and two hit-by-pitches to go with the lone hit over seven innings.
Freshman centerfielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J.) recorded the Pioneers’ only hit while freshman Chelsea Batelli (Wayne, N.J.) picked up her fifth loss of the spring, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four in six innings.
William Paterson 11, Stevens 3
The Pioneers got out to a quick start in Game Two as sophomore second baseman Chrissy Austin (Sewell, N.J.) was hit by a pitch and stolen second base before advancing to third on a wild pitch, from where she scored on a triple by senior centerfielder Sam Mulderig (Sewell, N.J.). A leadoff single by DeFeo started the Ducks off right but with runners on first and second base and only one out, Strom grounded into a sharp double play by the second baseman.
William Paterson tacked on two more runs in the second inning on a solo home run by senior Kelsey Hand (Mountainville, N.Y.) and back-to-back doubles. Stevens nearly got on the board in the bottom of the third as senior centerfielder
Lauren Hurley (Sparta, N.J.) singled on a bunt with just one out, but a sharp lineout to the third baseman by DeFeo caught Hurley off the bag for the double play.
The Ducks would tie things up in the fourth inning, however, as Senkevich blasted her third homer of the day – from the opposite side of the plate – to plate Strom, Risman-Jones and herself.
The Pioneers quickly regained the lead, scoring on a passed ball and sharp single through the left side of the infield to go back up by two. Stevens could not get a run across in the next two frames and William-Paterson took advantage, putting the game out of reach with six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an 11-3 lead, which would be the final score.
Senkevich ended the day 3-6 with three home runs, three runs and seven RBI. Sophomore
Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) took the loss in the circle, allowing nine earned runs and striking out one over seven innings.
Sophomore catcher Lachelle Rouse (Pine Hill, N.J.) was a perfect 3-3 with a double, walk, run and three RBI while left fielder Lauren Bogart (West Milford, N.J.) went 3-5 with two runs. Austin was 1-4 with a hit-by-pitch, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base while Mulderig went 2-4 with a walk, triple, run and one RBI. Sophomore Kerrin Dys (North Arlington, N.J.) picked up the win, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits while striking out three with no walks over seven innings.
Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks (0-2 in conference play) will head upstate to Rochester, N.Y. for a pair of Empire 8 Conference doubleheaders at St. John Fisher College (9-7, 0-0) on Saturday, April 6 at 3 p.m. and Nazareth College (2-10, 0-2) on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. Both games will be broadcast via Livestats, which can be accessed through the schedule page at
www.stevensducks.com.