Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The softball team picked up its fourth win in two days with a doubleheader sweep of Saint Thomas Aquinas College, 6-3 and 10-8. Molloy improved to 22-12 on the season and 10-6 in East Coast Conference play with the victories while the losses set STAC at 21-9 (15-7 ECC).
Game One: Molloy 6, STAC 3
- The Spartans led off the contest with a single and sacrifice bunt before scoring two runs on back-to-back doubles.
- The first six Lions were retired in order, but Molloy took the lead in the third inning. A single from sophomore catcher Akemi Poyer and double from sophomore left fielder Grace Rende put runners in scoring position for freshman right fielder Chrissie Huhn, who picked up an RBI with an infield single. Freshman first baseman Katie Hand gave the home team a 3-2 lead with a two-run single through the right side.
- STAC knotted the score at three in the top of the sixth on a single.
- A marathon home half of the sixth saw Molloy retake the lead. A fielding error, sacrifice bunt, and Poyer single and stolen base set the table for a two-run double for Rende to break the tie. Huhn gave the maroon and white a 6-3 lead on a fielder's choice to second base, scoring Rende.
- Senior pitcher Courtney Greene retired the Spartans in order in the top of the seventh to earn her 14th win of the season. The lefty allowed two earned runs on five hits in a complete game effort.
- Huhn, Hand, and Rende each drove in two runs with Poyer and Rende each going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Huhn and Poyer combined for three stolen bases.
Game Two: Molloy 10, STAC 8
- The visitors once again got on the board quickly, taking a 1-0 lead on a double and two singles in the first inning before adding a second run in the third on a walk and a double in the third.
- The Lions saw more production from the lower third of the lineup, tying the contest 2-2 in the home half of the fourth inning. Rende doubled to score Poyer to put Molloy on the board beofre a Huhn single plated the sophomore to tie the game.
- The Spartans took advantage of two errors from the home team in the fifth inning to take a 5-2 lead.
- Lead off singles to Hand and junior pitcher Amanda King followed by junior third baseman Marissa Nicoletti being hit by a pitch loaded the bases. Rende and sophomore right fielder Emma Bachman each drove in a run on back-to-back fielder's choices to bring Molloy within one, 5-4. A fielding error by the Spartans gave Molloy a 6-5 lead.
- A lead off single to sophomore center fielder Steph Conrade, a hit batter, and a walk once again loaded the bases for Rende in the sixth inning. The sophomore doubled to center field, emptying the bases and putting the Lions in front, 9-5.
- The Maine native scored in the next at bat, taking off for home when Bachman was thrown out on an attempted stolen base to give Molloy a five-run lead headed into the final inning.
- STAC would come within two, 10-8, on the back of a three-run home run home run before King retired the Spartans.
- King struck out two batters throuh 2.2 innings of work in relief to earn her fourth win of the season.
- Rende led the Lions with a career-high five RBI, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Huhn tallied three hits while Poyer added two.
Up Next
Molloy will welcome D'Youville College to Rockville Centre on Friday (Apr. 30). First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
