BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 29, 2017) – Senior pitcher
Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) earned two wins in a sweep of the University of Bridgeport at Seaside Park. With the wins, Molloy improves to 30-14 on the season and 16-6 in East Coast Conference play headed into the final weekend of play.
Game One: Molloy 3, Bridgeport 0
Sophomore
Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.) led off the top of the third with a double before scoring as graduate student
Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.) reached on an error by Bridgeport's left fielder to give Molloy a 1-0 lead. A double from junior
Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) doubled the score to 2-0.
The Lions continued the run into the fourth inning, as
Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) doubled. A single from junior
Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) gave Molloy a 3-0 lead.
Hawks allowed only two hits through the final four innings to earn the complete-game shutout. The senior improved to 15-9 on the season, fanning eight batters. Junior
Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.), Rambo, Fedor, and Snyder each doubled for the maroon and white.
Game Two: Molloy 5, Bridgeport 2
Molloy continued their offensive prowess in the second game, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Banulski drew a lead-off walk before a double from Botte drove her home. Junior
Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) singled to score Botte before coming home as
Tiana DeOliveira (Mastic, N.Y.) reached on an error by the UB shortstop.
The Purple Knights would come within one in the bottom half of the inning on a single from Kamryn Beach (Tampa, Fla.) and a double from Meghan O'Leary (Lafayette, N.J.).
In the top of the second, Russo led off with a single. A single from Banulski drove the catcher home to give the Lions a 4-2 lead.
Hawks and Alyssa Bua (Cornwall, N.Y.) each pitched perfectly through the next three innings until DeOliveira singled in the top of the sixth. Pinch hitter
Tara Byrnes (Huntington, N.Y.) singled to score the junior and put Molloy up 5-2. In the bottom of the inning, the Purple Knights reached third, but were unable to drive the run home before going down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Banulski, Botte, Dalton, DeOliveira, Byrnes, and Russo each recorded hits for the Lions. Hawks allowed two hits through six innings, striking out six batters to total 203 on the season.
The Lions welcome the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas Sunday (Apr. 30) at 12:00 p.m. in the final series of the regular season. Seniors Hawks, Fedor, and
Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. The team will also be holding Bark in the Park, all fans are encouraged to bring their favorite four-legged friends down to Bob Klein Field for the games.
