FLUSHING, N.Y. (Apr. 18, 2017) – The Molloy softball team picked up two wins, sweeping a doubleheader on the road against the Knights of Queens College. The Lions took the first game to extra-innings, winning on a single from junior
Bernadette Mullane (Bellmore, N.Y.) before a single from junior
Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) drove in two runs on the way to a 4-1 victory. With the sweep, Molloy stands at 24-14 on the season and 11-6 in league play.
Game One: Molloy 4, Queens 3
The Knights went ahead early, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. With runners on second and third, senior Kayla Morrissey (Glen Cove, N.Y.) homered to give the home team the 3-0 lead. The game progressed with two complete innings of perfect softball before senior
Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning. The second baseman advanced to third on a double by junior
Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.). A sacrifice fly from graduate student
Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.) put the maroon and white on the board, cutting the lead to 3-1.
The Lions would come within one in the top of the fifth, as junior
Tiana DeOliveira (Mastic, N.Y.) hit her first home run as a Lion to lead off the inning. Walks to Clinton and Banulski, and sophomore
Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.) reaching on a fielder's choice loaded the bases, with Molloy threatening to tie the contest, but the maroon and white were retired, leaving them trailing 3-2.
Junior
Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) led off the sixth with a double down the left field line, moving to third on a single from Dalton. DeOliveira drove in her second run of the game with a single, tying the game 3-3. The score remained knotted through the seventh inning, forcing the teams to extra innings. Rambo once again got things started for Molloy, leading off the eighth with a single to third, advancing on a passed ball. Dalton grounded out, sending the go ahead run just 60 feet from home with Mullane at the plate. The junior singled through the middle to give the Lions a 4-3 lead headed into the home half of the inning.
Senior pitcher
Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) struck out the first two batters before allowing a single to ToniMarie Valeriano (Bellmore, N.Y.). Hawks would force Kristen Boody (Centereach, N.Y.) to pop up, catching the ball to end the contest and give Molloy the win in extra innings.
DeOliveira and Banulski each went 2-of-3 at the plate, with DeOliveira driving in two runs. Hawks picked up her 12
th win of the campaign, surrendering three runs on five hits while retiring 10 batters via strikeout.
Game Two: Molloy 4, Queens 1
The maroon and white wasted no time in the second contest. Clinton reached first after being hit by a pitch to lead off the game, advancing to second on a bunt from Banulski. Botte reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at first and second, but a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position. In the next at bat, Rambo walked to load the bases for Dalton, who singled down the left field line to give Molloy an early 2-0 lead.
DeOliveira singled up the middle to move Dalton to third base. Both runners would come home on an error by Morrissey to make it 4-0.
Molloy continued to pressure the Knights, drawing second and third in the second inning before loading the bases in the third inning. Both times, Morgan Starley (Windsor, N.Y.) retired the Lions without any runs crossing the plate.
The Knights would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth, as a single to left field from Boody cut Molloy's lead to 4-1. Sophomore
Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) retired the Queens batters in order in the sixth and seventh inning to pick up her 12
th win of the season and complete the sweep for the Lions.
Junior
Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 on the afternoon while Dalton drove in a game-high two runs. Turato allowed one run on seven hits in a complete game, striking out six batters.
Molloy remains on the road as they head to the University of Bridgeport on Thursday (Apr. 20) for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.
