Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 16, 2015) – On Thursday afternoon, the Molloy College softball team continued the last few legs of its East Coast Conference portion of the regular season by sweeping a doubleheader from the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Conn. With the wins, the Lions improve to 19-20 on the year and 14-5 in the league, while the Purple Knights drop to 9-27 (5-17 ECC).
Game 1: Molloy 2, Bridgeport 1
The Lions and Purple Knights each scored in the second inning, and the contest would remain tied at 1-1 until the fifth. In the second, Molloy senior Brianne Catalano (Franklin Square, N.Y.) doubled to left center, plating rookie Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.). In the bottom half of the frame, Bridgeport found the equalizing run with an RBI single.
In the fifth, sophomore Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) put the Lions ahead, 2-1, when she smacked a double to left field, which scored Russo.
From the circle, junior Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) was fantastic – going the distance, allowing one run on three hits. She struck out six. Balinskas bettered her record to 9-8 and trimmed her season's ERA to 3.66.
Game 2: Molloy 5, Bridgeport 3
Bridgeport took the first lead of this contest scoring off a solo shot from Tara Faford in the second frame. One inning later, Molloy scored three times to grab the advantage over the Purple Knights, 3-1. Freshman Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) brought home Catalano via a sacrifice fly, before senior Victoria Gunnels (North Bellmore, N.Y.) cranked a two-run triple to right field, plating freshman Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.) and Fedor.
In the fourth, Fedor continued her outstanding sophomore campaign with a solo home run to left to give Molloy a 4-1 lead. Bridgeport, aiming to play home run derby, saw Faford smack her second homer of the game in the bottom half of the frame to cut the hosts' deficit to 4-3. In the fifth, Gunnels provided the Lions with their insurance run with a longball of her own.
In the circle, sophomore Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) also went the distance. She surrendered three runs on five hits and whiffed four. Hawks is now 9-7 with a 3.31 ERA.
Head Coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke and the Lions return to action tomorrow in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. when they play a make-up game at Mercy College starting at 4:30 p.m.
