ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Apr. 9, 2016) - April has not been kind to the Northeast region and the Molloy College softball team, as colder-than-normal temperatures coupled with precipitation and a dwindling schedule mean that the Lions will have to playa good number of games in a very short amount of time. Hence why the Lions are playing back-to-back doubleheaders on Sunday (Apr. 10) and Monday (Apr. 11) versus NYIT (scheduled) and Dominican College (originally scheduled for 3/28 but postponed).
About the Lions- Molloy's record stands at 20-12 with an 11-3 record in East Coast Conference play. The Lions have won five games in a row and are 9-1 at Bob Klein Field.
- Sophomore
Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) has hit safely in 14 straight games going into Sunday's doubleheader with NYIT. Dalton has hit .500 (24-48) in that span of games with two home runs and 17 RBIs.
- Senior
Tracey Balinskas (Edison, N.J.) is leading the team with a .413 batting average and 19 extra-base hits (including 12 doubles and six home runs). Balinskas and Dalton have driven in a team-high 25 runs.
- Freshman
Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) has a 5-1 record with an earned-run average of 2.72 while junior
Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) is 9-7 with a 3.12 ERA.
The Opponents (as of Apr. 9)- NYIT is 20-8 on the season with an 11-1 mark in ECC competition and a 10-game winning streak. The Bears swept a doubleheader with Queens College on Saturday (Apr. 9) as junior Laura McLaughlin (Gilbert, Ariz.) tossed a game-one no-hitter against the Knights.
- Senior Kat Zabielski (Farmingdale, N.Y.) has clubbed 15 home runs this season whilst driving in 45 RBI through 28 games and 81 official at-bats. Steve Christianson's club has slugged 40 home runs total while the pitching staff of NYIT has allowed just eight balls to leave the yard.
- Dominican College, meanwhile, is 16-11-1 with a doubleheader versus Philadelphia University set for Sunday (Apr. 10). The Chargers earned a win over LIU Post on Friday (Apr. 9) in the first game of a double-dip before the second game ended in a 1-1 tie.
- Senior catcher Shannon Haukap (Edmonds, Wash.) leads the team at the plate with four home runs and 17 RBI driven in this season. Freshman Taylor Gilligan (Medford, N.J.) sports a team-best .365 batting average. Sophomore Desiree Jones (Stewartstwn, Pa.) is the team's ace in the pitching circle with a 10-5 record and a 2.02 ERA over 100 innings pitched.
