Sacred Heart softballers overcome deficit

History wasn't weighing on the Sacred Heart softball team.

Neither was that 2-0 deficit against St. Joseph and ace pitcher Nicole Pagano.

The Lions stayed loud in the dugout, determined at the plate, and aggressive on the bases en route to 3-2 victory yesterday in a Cape Atlantic National II game at the South Vineland Little League field.

"We just kept telling ourselves we could do it," Sacred Heart pitcher Kylie Kristovich said. "We never gave up."

Arielle Bruno and Clarissa Hayes scored on the same wild pitch to cap a three-run rally in the fourth inning for Sacred Heart (12-4, 3-1).

Pagano, a senior righthander, allowed just three hits and struck out five for St. Joseph (10-4, 4-1).

Sacred Heart had never beaten Pagano. The Lions had not beaten the Wildcats since 2004.

But Sacred Heart coach Les Olson said the Lions were undaunted by their recent history against St. Joseph, which included a 1-0 loss on Friday.

"It was all they talked about all weekend," Olson said. "They were determined.

"We knew if we could put the ball in play that funny things could happen."

Two errors by St. Joseph's, an RBI single by Hayes, and aggressive baserunning were the ingredients for Sacred Heart's rally.

"Aggressive baserunning is a big key," said Bruno, a junior shortstop. "It can mean one run, and one run can decide a game."

St. Joseph took a 1-0 lead thanks to a pair of errors in the first inning and jacked its edge to 2-0 on Arianna Donzuso's double in the third.

But Kristovich, a junior righthander, shut down the Wildcats without a hit in the final four innings.

"Once we got those runs, I knew I had to hit my spots," Kristovich said.

The teams are likely to be the top two seeds in the South Non-Public B tournament and could meet again in the sectional final.

"I think we'll see them again," St. Joseph coach Candi Dean said. "That would be a good way to get it back."

St. Joseph 101 000 0 - 2 4 2

Sacred Heart 000 300 x - 3 3 4

WP: Kylie Kristovich. LP: Nicole Pagano

2B: Arianna Donzuso, SJ.