ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Apr. 2, 2017) – The Lions split a series with the Purple Knights of the University of Bridgeport, taking the first game 5-1 before falling 5-4 in the second contest. Senior pitcher Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) split as well, going 1-1 on the day.

Game One: Molloy 5, UB 1
After a scoreless first inning, the maroon and white took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Junior Alex Russo (Coram, N.Y.) led off the home half of the inning with a home run to left field. Senior Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) followed suit, sending the ball back over the left field fence two batters later to double the lead. Graduate student Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.) put the Lions up 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning with a home run of her own, crushing the ball over the right field fence.

Junior Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning before Fedor hit her second homer of the contest to give the Lions a 5-0 lead. Hawks retired the Purple Knights' batters in order through 6.2 innings, until Jenna DiLorenzo (Woodbridge, Conn.) sent a pitch over the right field fence to put UB on the board.

Hawks struck out the next batter, earning the 5-1 victory to improve to 6-6 on the season. The senior pitched seven innings, giving up only one hit while striking out 13 batters. Botte and Fedor each went 2-for-3 for Molloy, with Fedor driving in a game-high three runs with two homers.

Game Two: Molloy 5, UB 4
Molloy got on the board early, as Russo doubled to right center field to score Botte for the game's first run. UB would take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning, as a single by Tara Faford (Grafton, Mass.) scored two runners. The Lions would score two of their own, as freshman Mikaela Tribby (Boca Raton, Fla.) homered to left center field to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

The score would hold through the six inning, sending the Purple Knights to bat in the top of the seventh trailing by two runs. Abbigail Blanchard (Pawcatuck, Conn.) led off with a single to left field, before Allison Luzzi (East Haven, Conn.) hit an RBI double to right center to tie the game. UB took a two-run lead on a double from Meghan O'Leary (Lafayette, N.J.).

The maroon and white headed to the home half of the inning needing two runs to tie the game and force extra innings. Senior Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) singled up the middle for the first baserunner of the inning, advancing to second on a single from junior Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.). The senior advanced to third after tagging up on a flyout from sophomore Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.). Botte singled to second base in the next at bat, scoring Clinton. The ball went into the outfield grass, sending the runners into motion. Botte was tagged out between second and third for the final out before Banulski crossed home plate, sealing the game in favor of the Purple Knights.

Botte, Russo, and Tribby each picked up RBIs in the loss, with Russo and Rambo going 2-for-3 at the dish. Sophomore pitcher Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) pitched six innings, giving up six hits while striking out five batters in a no decision.

The Lions continue league play tomorrow (Apr. 3) as they welcome Mercy College to Bob Klein Field at 3:00 p.m.