Florence, S.C. - The 2024 softball campaign began with two competitive contests against a pair of 2023 NCAA Tournament teams, Kutztown and Francis Marion.

Game One: Kutztown 8, Molloy 7
How it Happened

• The Bears were first to strike, scoring on a double from Morgan Slomkowski in the top of the first inning.
• The Lions' offense was quick to respond, with senior Chrissie Huhn leading off the season with a single up the middle before being moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from graduate student Steph Conrade. Junior Natalie Moussa knotted the game with an outfield single.
• A pair of RBI singles from Jenna Piatkiewicz and Naya Darnowski in the second and third innings set the score at 3-1 in favor of Kutztown.
• Huhn led off in the third with another single up the middle on the first pitch of the inning. Mirroring the first inning, Conrade put down another sac bunt to move Huhn into scoring position. Moussa singled to left before a double from junior Katie Hand cut the deficit to one, 3-2.
• Sophomore Cheralyn Dusharme reached on a fielding error by pitcher Hayley Gravish that tied the game before a single up the middle from freshman Stevie Dabbadie gave the Lions the first lead of the season.
• The advantage would be short lived as the Bears would take a two-run lead on a homer from Slomkowski in the top of the fourth inning.
• The score would stand until another two-run shot, this time off the bat of Alexa Stevens propelled KU to an 8-4 advantage.
• With Molloy designated as the home team, the Lions came up to bat for the bottom of the seventh with the top of the order due up. Huhn singled for the fourth time before stealing second. A double from Moussa sent Huhn to third before Huhn and pinch runner freshman Amaya Page were plated on an outfield single from Hand to bring the Lions within two, 8-6.
• Graduate student Alex Burns would cut the deficit to just one run, 8-7, before Molloy's luck ran out.

Top Performances

• Huhn went 4-for-4 with two stolen bases to lead the Lions.
• Hand drove in three runs in a 2-for-4 afternoon.
• Moussa went 3-for-4 and added one RBI.
• Burns homered in her season debut while Dabbadie went 1-for-3 with an RBI in her collegiate debut.
• Macias went 3.2 innings for the loss, striking out one. Moussa came in and tossed 3.1 innings in relief, also picking up one strikeout.

Game Two: Francis Marion 3, Molloy 2
How it Happened

• In a dramatic change of pace from the first game, the contest against the Patriots would be scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning.
• A two-run home run from Peyton Gale broke the stalemate for Francis Marion and gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead.
• The Lions responded with a marathon top of the seventh inning. In her first collegiate at bat, Page had an infield single to put runners at first and second. A wild pitch would put both Page and pinch runner Emily McGurk in scoring position before a walk to sophomore Mae Savage loaded the bases.
• Freshman Mariah Cepeda, also in her first collegiate at bat, drilled a pinch run single to right center field to plate both runs and knot the contest.
• A lead-off walk and sac bunt set the table for an RBI outfield single for Madalyn White to give the victory to the Patriots in the bottom of the seventh.

Top Performances

• Huhn, Burns, Page, Savage, and Cepeda recorded hits for the cardinal and white.
• Both Huhn and Savage added stolen bases.
• Freshman Sophia Mariottini tossed 6.1 innings in her collegiate debut, fanning five batters.

Up Next
Molloy is back in action against both Francis Marion and Kutztown tomorrow (Feb. 18) at 11:00 a.m.