URBONT’S THREE-HIT SHUTOUT SENDS SOFTBALL TO 2-0 VICTORY VERSUS ADELPHI IN ECC TOURNEY

Box Score vs. Adelphi - May 1, 2009

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (May. 1, 2009) – Sophomore pitcher Lauren Urbont (Long Beach, N.Y.) threw a gem on Friday afternoon as she hurled a complete game shutout to put the No. 5 seed Molloy College softball team past No. 2 seed Adelphi University by a 2-0 decision in the East Coast Conference Championship at the NYIT Sport Complex in Old Westbury, N.Y. With the win, the Lions ended a 10-year drought by getting their first triumph in post-season action since 1999.

Molloy began the scoring in the top of the third inning. Junior outfielder Shannon Skeggs (Massapequa, N.Y.) opened up the stanza with an infield single. Sophomore second baseman Alexandra Sydor (Glen Cove, N.Y.) got her over one base with a sacrifice bunt in the following at-bat. After a strikeout by senior outfielder Michelle Walsh (Bellerose, N.Y.), junior catcher Tiffany D’Alessandro (Wantagh, N.Y.) plated Skeggs as she drove a single beyond the reach of the diving Adelphi infield, and into center field.

With Urbont thriving through six, the Lions (21-25) raked an insurance run in Top-7 as freshman third baseman and All-ECC second-team selection Josette Cavallaro (North Babylon, N.Y.) notched a two-out RBI single to right field, which brought home D’Alessandro, who snatched third-team honors from the league, from third. The bottom of the seventh was quite scary for Molloy. After Adelphi senior infielder Diana DiPiano (Valley Stream, N.Y.) led off with a walk, sophomore infielder Stephanie Byster (Jackson, N.J.) flied out to left field.

Senior second baseman Kristin Brennan (Staten Island, N.Y.) then stepped to the plate, and sent a pitch that hit the left field wall on the fly for a two-bagger. Following a meeting inside the circle, Urbont settled down, and retired the next two batters to eliminate the Panthers (32-14) from the tournament. In addition to throwing the complete game shutout, Urbont gave up just three hits and one walk, while fanning four. Sophomore hurler Leighann Bell (East Islip, N.Y.) surrendered 10 hits, three walks and two runs in her outing.

Head Coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke will now await the winner of the game between top-seeded Dowling College and sixth-seeded Queens College, which will resume tomorrow due to inclement weather. First pitch between Molloy and Dowling or Queens is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start. If you are unable to make it, you can follow all of the action via Live Stats at http://livestats.prestosports.com/ecc.