DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 15, 2017) – Graduate student Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.) and junior Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) each homered in Molloy's split with Mercy College at Smith Field. Freshman Mikaela Tribby (Boca Raton, Fla.) and senior Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) each drove in two runs. The Lions fell 6-3 in the opening half of the doubleheader before claiming an 8-3 victory in the second contest to improve to 20-14 (9-6 ECC) on the season.

Game One: Molloy 3, Mercy 6
Botte started things off right for the lines, driving a ball over the right field wall for the first run of the game. The Mavericks, however, responded in the bottom half of the first inning as Skania Lemus (Chula Vista, Calif.) led off with a home run of her own. The home team increased the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second following a single from Baylee McCormick (Las Vegas, Nev.) to score two runs. Mercy added another in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice bunt from Cassidy Wootten (Ardsley, N.Y.).

Tribby was brought in to pinch hit in the top of the fifth, placing a double down the left field line to score junior Chrissy Heyer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.) to bring the Lions within one run, 4-3. A double from Kendall Meeks (Guysville, Ohio) put Mercy back ahead, 6-3.

Fedor led off the top of the seventh for the maroon and white, singling up the middle. Junior Tiana DeOliveira (Mastic, N.Y.) drew a pinch hit walk. A ground out from Snyder advanced both baserunners into scoring position before a walk to senior Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) loaded the bases for Botte. The graduate student made contact, but grounded out to the second baseman to end the contest with the Lions falling 6-3.

Senior pitcher Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) pitched six innings, giving up nine hits while striking out eight batters.

Game Two: Molloy 8, Mercy 3
With the game scoreless through three innings, Botte led off the top of the fourth with a single through the right side. The designated player moved to third on a double from junior Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.). A double down the left field line from Fedor scored both baserunners for a 2-0 lead. The maroon and white ended the inning ahead 4-0 following RBI singles from Snyder and junior Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.).

Mercy got on the board in the home half of the inning with a solo home run by Destini Bullock (San Diego, Calif.), but Rambo sent the ball flying over the left field wall for a two-run home run to put the Lions up 6-1 in the top of the fifth inning. Molloy would add two more runs in the top of the sixth on a single from Clinton and a sacrifice fly from Botte.

The Mavericks began to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Bullock added her second home run of the day to cut the Lions' lead to 8-2. A hit batter, single, and wild pitch put runners at second and third, but a comebacker to sophomore pitcher Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.), who made the out at first base. Breanna Wheeler (Murrieta, Calif.) scored to make it 8-3, but Allie Pellizzaro (Victoria, British Columbia) was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play, sealing the victory for the Lions.

Hawks pitched 6.1 innings, earning her 10^th win of the season with four hits and 12 strikeouts.

The Lions step out of conference on Monday (Apr. 17) for a doubleheader with Dominican College beginning at 4:30 p.m. The series kicks off an eight-game road trip with Molloy returning home for Senior Day against Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Apr. 25 at 3:00 p.m.