Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The second-seeded softball team fell to the third-seeded Saint Thomas Aquinas Spartans in the semifinal round of the East Coast Conference Championship. Molloy (29-13) was most recently ranked #3 in the NCAA East Regional Rankings, and will await next week's selection show to determine if they receive one of the three at large bids to the NCAA Regional Tournament. 


Game One: STAC 8, Molloy 0 (6 Innings)

• The Spartans, the home team on the scoreboard for Game Two of the series, plated one run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Amanda Castro. 
• STAC scored three runs on three hits in the second to take a 4-0 lead.
• Molloy saw singles from sophomore Karsyn Eaton and freshman Katie Hand in the fourth inning, but were unable to plate a run.
• Castro drove in an additional run for the Spartans in the fourth inning before the Lions once again left two runners on base in the fifth on singles from sophomore Grace Rende and freshman Chrissie Huhn.
• STAC ended the contest via the mercy rule and forced an if necessary contest after scoring three runs on four hits in the sixth inning.
• The maroon and white saw six hits from six different players, but were unable to string together timely hits to score any runs.
• Senior pitcher Courtney Greene went one inning in the loss, allowing just one earned run on two hits. Junior Amanda King struck out one through 4.2 innings of relief.

Game Two: STAC 5, Molloy 2

• After three scoreless innings, the Spartans, now the visiting team on the scoreboard, scored three runs on the back of an RBI double from Sarah Williams, an RBI single to Tara Hagan, and taking advantage of a fielding error by the Molloy defense. 
• After a leadoff double to junior Marissa Nicoletti and a single to sophomore Akemi Poyer, a pinch hit sacrifice fly from Hand put the Lions on the board for the first time in the afternoon, setting the score at 3-1 after five innings of play.
• Nicolette MacDonald scored following a strikeout to Kim Astrologo to put the Spartans up 4-1 in the sixth before Hagan recorded an RBI single in the top of the seventh to make it 5-1.
• A walk to Rende and double from Hand set the table for an RBI ground out from Huhn to bring the maroon and white within three, but the effort would fall short. 
• Huhn led with two hits for Molloy.
• Greene struck out five batters and allowed just two earned runs in the loss. 

For the latest news regarding the softball team, continue to visit www.molloylions.com or follow Molloy Athletics on Twitter and Instagram @MolloyLions as well as following the softball team directly  @MolloySoftball.