ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Mar. 9, 2016) – It has been a lengthy lay-off for the Molloy College softball team as 17 days have elapsed since the maroon and white last took the field on Feb. 21 when the Lions defeated Wilmington University by a 6-1 score in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Molloy gets back on the field on Wednesday (Mar. 9) to host a doubleheader for the first time this season as the Lions welcome in Georgian Court University for a two-game set beginning at 3 p.m.
About The Molloy Lions
- Molloy is currently 2-4 on the season, with the aforementioned victory over Wilmington as well as a 5-4 win against Lock Haven two days earlier (Feb. 19).
- Senior Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) hit .474 in five games played down in the Palmetto State. She collected four extra-base hits (including the team's lone home run so far this season) and drove in six RBIs while obtaining a slugging percentage of .789 to begin her defense of the ECC Player of the Year award that she won last season.
- In four appearances and one start thus far, junior right-handed pitcher Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) is 1-2 with a team-best 2.40 ERA. She has struck out 14 batters in 11.2 innings of work, surrendering just five runs on seven hits while walking only two batters. Hawks is also limiting opposing batters to a .171 average against so far this season.
- Three other players in the batting order for the maroon and white have a .333 batting average so far: sophomore Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) ranks second on the team with four runs batted in. The other two players are newcomers Chrissy Heyer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Katie Polselli (Charlton, Mass.).
Concerning the Lions of Georgian Court
- Georgian Court has started the year off in rocky fashion, losing its first 12 contests down in Clermont, Fla. over the entirety of the previous week. In those games, the Lions lost nine to out-of-region opponents (i.e. Seton Hill, Ferris State, Tiffin, etc.) while dropping three regional contests to Dowling, Saint Rose and Saint Anselm.
- Sophomore infielder Alycia Marsello (North Kingstown, R.I.) is the team's best hitter based on batting average, as she is sporting a 10-for-27 (.370) clip through the first 12 games of the year. She is also proving to be the most patient hitter for GCU in its lineup, as she has drawn a walk 12 times this season already.
- As a team, Georgian Court is batting just .228 while driving in just 27 runs. Opponents are hitting .303 against the pitching staff with 67 RBIs against the Lions.
- Georgian Court's pitching staff is led by freshman Jessica O'Neil (Levittown, Pa.) and sophomore Amanda Finn (Massapequa, N.Y.). While both starters have an 0-4 record thus far, O'Neil holds a 2.78 earned-run average while Finn's is just half a point higher (3.28).
The Match-Up
- Game Time Temperature and Weather: 65 degrees, partly sunny skies. Spring may not be for 11 more days, but it will certainly feel like it.
- Last Match-Up between Molloy and Georgian Court: Apr. 10, 2010 at GCU in Lakewood, N.J. Current Molloy pitching coach Kelley Jansen tossed six innings of relief and current Molloy Head Women's Tennis Coach Jeana Frey had a two-run single in the tenth inning to lift Molloy to a 9-7 win over Georgian Court.
