ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Apr. 18, 2016) - With the East Coast Conference Tournament just a week away, the Molloy College softball team is striving to carry as much momentum as possible into postseason competition. While the Lions do not have a spot in the championship locked up yet, being one of three teams with a winning record in conference competition is a positive sign of playoff dreams. The maroon and white will have to battle their way through the end of the season, however, as LIU Post comes into Rockville Centre on Tuesday (Apr. 19).
About the Lions- Molloy is 26-18 overall this season with a 16-7 record in East Coast Conference action. The Lions have defended Bob Klein Field successfully, with a 13-3 record overall at home including an 8-3 mark in home conference games this season.
- Senior
Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) continues her strong play at the dish, hitting .421 with a .697 slugging percentage to go along with seven home runs, 15 doubles and 35 runs batted in. Meanwhile,
Milan Botte (Reston, Va.) and
Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) have each slugged four home runs and combine for 60 RBIs for the Lions' offense.
- Junior pitcher
Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) is 13-9 on the season with a 2.71 earned-run average. Hawks was the tough-luck loser of a 1-0 decision to LIU Post back on Apr. 14 in Brookville. The junior has 131 strikeouts so far this season, the most of any East Coast Conference pitcher.
Concerning the Pioneers- LIU Post is 27-8-1 overall and 16-2 in East Coast Conference play, leading the ECC standings. The Pioneers are No. 22 in the NFCA standings and celebrated the 700th career victory for Head Coach Jamie Apicella in a 4-0 win over NYIT on Sunday (Apr. 17) in Brookville.
- Freshman Julia Seader (Piscataway, N.J.) continues to have an impressive debut campaign with the green and gold, as the catcher is hitting .381 with four home runs and 22 RBIs. Meanwhile, first-year shortstop Leah Mele (Coram, N.Y.) is proving to be one of the tougher batters to strikeout in the conference (eight strikeouts in 122 at-bats with a .311 average and 11 runs batted in.
- The Pioneers have been successful this year because the pitching staff has held opponents to an average of one-and-a-half runs per game and a batting average of .185. Junior Ashley Martin (Long Beach, N.Y.) is 12-5 with a 1.28 earned-run average and 111 strikeouts while freshman Hannah Olshevski (Robbinsville, N.J.) is 15-3 with a 1.44 ERA. Both pitchers have thrown over 125 innings on the season.
