Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The second-seeded softball team defeated third-seeded Saint Thomas Aquinas College, 4-1, this afternoon at Bob Klein Field in the first game in a best-of-three semifinal series in the East Coast Conference Tournament to improve to 29-12 on the season.

How it Happened

• The Spartans nearly struck first, stranding runners on first and third in the second inning before sophomore left fielder Grace Rende continued to keep STAC scoreless in the fourth inning, throwing pinch runner Sinead Albelli out at the plate to end the top of the fourth inning.
• The Lions would be the first to crack the scoreboard, as junior third baseman Marissa Nicoletti scored on a single from Rende in the fifth inning.
• STAC responded immediately in the top of the sixth by taking advantage of three misplays from the maroon and white's defense to knot the score.
• Freshman right fielder Chrissie Huhn singled to start the sixth inning before scoring on a single from senior pitcher Courtney Greene to put Molloy back in front. Nicoletti picked up an RBI of her own to give the Lions a 3-1 lead before sophomore catcher Akemi Poyer rounded out the scoring with a single through the right side to set the score at 4-1.
• The Spartans recorded a hit in the top of the seventh, but Greene struck out the final two batters of the game to earn her 19th win of the season.
• In total, the lefty fanned five batters and allowed no earned runs on five hits. 
• Huhn led the Lions with two hits and a stolen base.

Up Next
Molloy and STAC will meet for Game Two tomorrow (May 8) at Bob Klein Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. with an if necessary game to immediately follow. The winner will take on the winner of #4 Mercy and #1 Bridgeport in a three-game Championship Series beginning Friday (May. 14).