ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Mar. 10, 2016) - The Molloy College softball team will embark on its annual trip to the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. for contests beginning Friday (Mar. 11) through Sunday (Mar. 14). The Lions are carrying momentum from a doubleheader sweep of Georgian Court on Wednesday (Mar. 9) and currently sit with a 4-4 record on the 2016 campaign.
About The Lions- The maroon and white took game one over GCU by an 8-5 score thanks to a three-hit day from
Bernadette Mullane (Bellmore, N.Y.) and a home run off the bat of
Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) that put Molloy ahead by an 8-3 score in the sixth inning. Junior pitcher
Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) struck out ten batters in picking up the win while freshman
Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) earned her first career collegiate save.
- Balinskas dominated the second game in the circle, pitching six shutout innings as Molloy earned the sweep with a 6-0 victory over the visiting Lions. The maroon and white scored three runs in the first inning off of RBI hits by
Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) and
Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) while freshman
Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.) collected her first career RBI in the win as well.
- Balinskas is batting .542 so far this season at the dish while Mullane's stellar efforts Wednesday put her average north of .400 (.417). The pitching staff has been bolstered by Hawks' dominance, as the junior hurler has a 24/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio so far this season.
Concerning The OpponentsFriday at 9 A.M.: American International College. 2-4 this season so far with both wins coming when Alyssa Camargo (Covina, Calif.) is in the circle. Camargo is 2-1 with a 0.70 ERA and a 20/1 K/BB ratio. Keymell Cartwright (Johnstown, Ohio) and Kaley Kempf (Oxford, Conn.) are hitting .462 and .455, respectively for the Yellow Jackets.
Friday at 11 A.M.: No. 21 West Chester University. 19-1 so far this seaon and a known opponent to the maroon and white, who lost to the Golden Rams back on Feb. 20 in Myrtle Beach by a 7-3 score. West Chester is hitting .330 as a team while pitchers are throwing to the tune of a 1.84 ERA and a .219 batting average against.
Saturday (Mar. 12): Stonehill College in a doubleheader. A 2-6 Skyhawk team started its season last Saturday (Mar. 5) at the National Training Center and will close out its stay in Clermont against the maroon and white. Senior pitcher Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn.) is 1-2 in the circle with three complete games and a sub-2.00 ERA; the rest of the Stonehill rotation has not been as effective. Senior third base Katherine Melanson (Danvers, Mass.) has hit two home runs while Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Conn.) is hitting .458 so far this season.
Sunday (Mar. 13): No. 19 Southern New Hampshire University for two games. Last year's NCAA East Super Regional runners-up will start their season Friday in Clermont, Fla. The Penmen lose 24-game winner Ali Maloof from the rotation but return a near-.400 hitter in Mo Hannan (Scarborough, Maine) as well as Lindsey Bolduc (Londonderry, N.H.), who hit eight home runs to lead SNHU to the Northeast-10 title in 2015.
Monday (Mar. 14): Pace University to close things out with a double-dip. Pace also begins its season on Friday in Clermont, Fla. The Setters went 25-17 last season for its first winning campaign since 2012, but have graduated its top-two hitters. Red-shirt senior pitcher Caitlin McCann (San Mateo, Calif.) won 11 games in the circle for the Setters last season while junior catcher Nikole Larm (Brewster, N.Y.) hit .350 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.
