ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Apr. 8, 2017) – The Molloy softball team picked up two conference wins, defeating Queens College in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Lions now improve to 14-12 on the year and 4-4 in league play. Sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Snyder (Smithtown, N.Y.) drove in five runs on the day.

Game One: Molloy 5, Queens 1
Both teams remained scoreless through the first three innings. The Knights threatened to break the deadlock in the top of the fourth, as a sacrifice bunt from Vanessa Juengerkes (Islip, N.Y.) put runners at second and third. Hawks picked up two strikeouts to get out of the inning unscathed. She would total 10 on the day.

In the bottom half of the inning, junior Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) doubled to right center before being brought in on a single from junior Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.). A single from senior Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) advanced Rambo to third; Snyder picked up her first RBI of the afternoon with a single down the left field line to give Molloy the 2-0 lead.

The Knights responded in the top of the fifth inning, as Stevianna Ognibene (West Islip, N.Y.) homered to left field to cut Molloy's lead in half.

In the bottom of the sixth, Rambo led things off for the maroon and white with a double to left center field. Clinton reached on an error in the next at-bat, making it first and third. Snyder drove in Rambo with a ground-rule double to right centerfield to make it 3-1. Junior Olivia Banulski (Bristol, Conn.) grounded out in the next at-bat to score Clinton. A single from graduate student Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.) would score Snyder and make it 5-1 Lions as the teams headed to the final inning.

Hawks registered her 10^th strikeout of the contest before forcing ground outs to senior Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) at third and Clinton at second to earn the win. Botte, Rambo, Clinton, and Snyder each went 2-of-3 at the plate with Snyder driving in two runs.
 
Game Two: Molloy 10, Queens 2 (Five Innings)
In the second half of the doubleheader, the maroon and white took an early 3-0 lead. Synder tripled to center field to score Clinton and Russo before a single from Banulski brought Snyder home. The Knights came within one in the top of the fourth inning following a two-run home run from Lauren Pascual (Woodland Hills, Calif.).

The Lions exploded in the bottom of the fifth inning to take an eight-run lead and end the contest via the run rule. Fedor led off with a single to left field, before advancing to second on a bunt single from Botte. Junior Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) singled to load the bases for DeOliveira, who singled to score Fedor. A single through the left side from Russo would make it 5-3 Molloy.

Freshman Mikaela Tribby (Boca Raton, Fla.) drove a pinch hit single up the middle to score two runs and increase the lead to 7-3. In the next at-bat, Clinton would reach on an error to score Russo before Snyder hit a sacrifice fly to make it 9-2. A single up the middle from Botte scored Clinton to end the contest.

DeOliveira went 2-for-2 while Banulski and Dalton each went 2-of-3. Snyder matched a career-high with three RBIs. Hawks pitched two innings, surrendering three hits with one strikeout. Sophomore Jenna Turato (Garden City South, N.Y.) pitched three innings in relief for the win, surrendering two runs on three hits while striking out four batters.

The Lions return to action on Monday (Apr. 10) as they continue East Coast Conference play against LIU Post at 3:00 p.m. at Bob Klein Field.