Lynsey Ciezki wanted to “get out of tough.”
The Blue Demons started out the Columbia regional with a 3-0 win over UMass May 18 that saw DePaul struggle against the Minutewomen ace pitcher Sara Plourde up until the sixth inning. That’s when the Blue Demons accounted for the three runs that won them the game. Pitcher Kirsten Verdun was her usual self on the mound in that game, giving up only two hits and striking out six.
The following day proved to be a rougher outing for the Blue Demons. Against Missouri, it was a pitcher’s duel between Verdun and Mizzou’s Chelsea Thomas. The game went into extra innings before the leadoff Tiger batter sent a Verdun changeup over the fence for a walk-off home run. Against Illinois State, DePaul just seemed flat and couldn’t string together much offense.
“The Missouri game doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the ISU game does as far as my pitching performance,” Verdun said, having only allowed four runs in the three games DePaul was at the regional. “I think that when your offense doesn’t score it puts pressure on the pitcher, but that’s something you have to be prepared for as a