Molloy University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Mar. 24, 2016) - After watching NYIT snap its eight-game winning streak on Thursday (Mar. 24) in the first game of a conference doubleheader by a final score of 7-3, the Molloy College softball team roared back to life in the second game to win a 9-4 contest and salvage a split with the Bears in ECC action. Molloy moves to 14-10 on the season and 5-1 in ECC play this year, while NYIT is now 10-8 and 1-1 in conference competition.

Game One: NYIT 7, Molloy 3
The hosts took an early lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single from Christine Rizzacasa (North Bellmore, N.Y.) and then extended the advantage in the third inning. Run-scoring base hits by Tori Duquette (Irvine, Calif.) and Christina Pantage (Whittier, Calif.) off of Molloy starter Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) put the Bears ahead by three runs and senior Kat Zabielski (Farmingdale, N.Y.) crushed a three-run home run to break the game wide open and put NYIT up by a score of 6-0. Molloy averted the shutout in the top of the fifth inning as senior Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) tripled home Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.) with the Lions' first run against Carly Wade (Placentia, Calif.); Balinskas scored on an RBI groundout by Milan Botte (Reston, Va.) in the same inning. The Bears went back up by five runs at 7-2 on an RBI single by Amber Butenhoff (Port Jervis, N.Y.)---one of four hits for the senior infielder in the first game. The maroon and white scratched across a run in the sixth inning but could not muster up the offense necessary to come back in the contest.

Hawks allowed six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings pitched while freshman Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) came on in relief to toss the final two-and-one-third innings, surrendering one run on three hits. Leading the Lions in the hitting categories with two hits apiece were Balinskas and Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.). Wade took the win for NYIT, going seven innings and allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out three batters.

  Game Two: Molloy 9, NYIT 4
The maroon and white got on fire early in the nightcap of the doubleheader against NYIT's Laura McLaughlin (Gilbert, Ariz.). Leadoff batter Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) started the top of the first inning with a double to left field before Banulski collected a single and Balinskas drew a walk. With the bases loaded, McLaughlin walked Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) to bring home a run before Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) drove an 0-1 pitch beyond the fence for a grand slam to cap a five-run first inning for the Lions. NYIT got a run back in the third inning as Butenhoff homered off of Turato, but Molloy got the run back and then son in the fifth inning on RBI doubles by Dalton and Russo. In the bottom of the fifth, Pantages went deep for the Bears for a two-run homer to bring her side within four. Fast forward to the next inning, and Fedor came up to bat against Sofia Evangelista (Massapequa, N.Y.). The sophomore pitcher for NYIT left her first offering over the zone, and Fedor turned on the pitch and sent it over the left-center field wall and across the pavilion of the sports complex to the backstop of the adjoining baseball field for a mammoth, tape-measure four-bagger. Both teams scratched across a run in the seventh inning to provide the final margin.

Russo went 2-for-4 with five runs batted in and Dalton drove in three runs on a 2-for-2 day at the plate with two walks additionally. Fedor had a team-high three hits including the solo home run for the Lions. Balinskas pitched 4.2 innings in relief and got the win, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out three. McLaughlin allowed five runs on five hits in 2.1 innings and collected the loss.

The Molloy College softball team will host Mercy College in an ECC doubleheader on Saturday (Mar. 26) at Bob Klein Field in Rockville Centre at 12 p.m.