OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Mar. 29, 2017) – The Molloy softball team, reigning East Coast Conference Champions, opened league play earlier this afternoon at New York Institute of Technology. The Lions split the opening series, taking their record to 11-7 on the campaign and 1-1 in league play. The Bears, who earned a 6-1 victory in the first game, sit at an even 7-7 (1-1 ECC).

Game One: Molloy 1, NYIT 6
Junior Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.) gave the Lions an immediate lead, sending the ball over the right centerfield wall for her first collegiate home run. The Bears responded with a leadoff home run from Kaitlyn Lanksbury (Huntington Beach, Calif.) in the home half of the inning to tie the score. NYIT doubled the lead in the same inning on an RBI double from Brooke Scherer (Westbury, N.Y.).

Another home run, this time from Tiffany McCracken (Murrieta, Calif.) set the score at 4-1 at the end of two innings. The Bears would add one run in the third and one run in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.

Trailing by five in the top of the seventh, senior Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) doubled to second, advancing to third on a single by freshman Sarah Pezzotti (Massapequa, N.Y.). The Lions, however, were unable to drive her in and fell 6-1.

Fedor went 3-for-3 at the dish with two doubles. Senior pitcher Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) went 3.1 innings, giving up eight hits while registering three strikeouts. Junior Makayla Harris (Berlin, Conn.) pitched 2.2 innings in relief, giving up four hits.

Game Two: Molloy 2, NYIT 1
In the second half of the doubleheader, the game remained scoreless through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, junior Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) reached on a leadoff single, advancing to second on a single from sophomore Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.). The first baseman would score on a single from junior Chrissy Heyer (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Snyder was brought home in the following at bat as Banulski grounded out to put Molloy ahead 2-0.

Lanksbury doubled to center in the bottom of the fifth inning to put NYIT on the board. The Bears threatened to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases following a Molloy error and single from Josephine Santagata (Brentwood, N.Y.). Snyder laid out to make the grab and end the inning. Pitcher Jenna Turato (Garden City Park, N.Y.) retired the Bears in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the contest. The sophomore pitched seven innings, striking out seven batters in the win. Rambo and Snyder each picked up two hits.

Molloy will step back out of conference play as they face local rival Adelphi University in a rematch from last year's Sub-Regional tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Bob Klein Field.