FOUR PLAYERS COLLECT TWO RBI AS SOFTBALL WINS ONE IN TWIN BILL VERSUS QUEENS; 6-4, 8-6

Box Score vs. Queens (Game One) - April 16, 2009

Box Score vs. Queens (Game Two) - April 16, 2009

FLUSHING, N.Y. (Apr. 14, 2009) – Four players on the Molloy College softball team notched two RBI apiece on Thursday to help the Lions to a split with the Knights of Queens College in an East Coast Conference match-up in Flushing, N.Y. Molloy won the opener by a final score of 6-4, while Queens took the nightcap by a two-score margin at 8-6. Although she did not earn an RBI, junior outfielder Erin Rut (East Meadow, N.Y.) led the way with the bat as she hit a team-leading .833 with three runs scored.

Game One – Molloy 6, Queens 4
The Lions (15-21, 5-7 ECC) drew first blood in the top of the second by notching three runs. Sophomore second baseman/shortstop Alexandra Sydor (Glen Cove, N.Y.) had a two-RBI single with one away. Junior outfielder Shannon Skeggs (Massapequa, N.Y.) brought home senior shortstop Nicole Losito (Howard Beach, N.Y.) from third with a fielder’s choice. The Knights (19-18, 6-7 ECC) took a run back in their half of the stanza to diminish the deficit to a score of 3-1.

Senior infielder/outfielder Christina Colon (Garden City Park, N.Y.) slapped a two-out RBI double. Molloy took the space back in Top-3 on a RBI base knock by freshman third baseman Josette Cavallaro (North Babylon, N.Y.). Queens cut the deficit in half in the latter of the third when junior catcher Danielle DiGioia (Patchogue, N.Y.) jetted 60 feet on a passed ball. Two innings later, the Lions extended the margin to 6-2. Cavallaro and freshman infielder/outfielder Meghan Karpinski (Bethpage, N.Y.) hit into back-to-back RBI groundouts.

Molloy sophomore pitcher Lauren Urbont (Long Beach, N.Y.) got her sixth victory of the year after hurling 4.0 innings of six-hit, four-run (three earned), three-walk ball. She also sat down one. Freshman southpaw Allison Ryan (Seaford, N.Y.) tossed a three-inning save, where she surrendered no runs and just three hits. Queens freshman pitcher Adriana Faria (Acton, Mass.) dropped to 1-7 on the year with the loss. She gave up nine hits, six runs (four earned) and three walks in seven innings of work, while striking out four.

Game Two – Queens 8, Molloy 6
Down 2-0 after 1 ½ innings, the Knights pushed three runs to grab hold of the lead for the first time in the game. Faria belted a three-run bomb to account for the scoring. Three innings later, Queens notched three more runs to go ahead by six (8-2). Sophomore third baseman Sara Koumou (Hicksville, N.Y.) ripped a two-RBI single into the gap. She and DiGioia later came around together on an error by Sydor.

In Top-7, Molloy opened a comeback to try and pull even, but fell two runs shy. Freshman first baseman Carla Campagna (Floral Park, N.Y.) recorded a double for a pair of RBI. Senior designated player Michelle Walsh (Bellerose, N.Y.) was issued a bases loaded walk with one out. Lastly, junior catcher Tiffany D’Alessandro (Wantagh, N.Y.) batted an RBI single.

Faria picked up the win for the Knights. She gave up nine hits, six runs (three earned) and three walks, while striking out two in 7.0 innings of work. Ryan was saddled with her ninth defeat in the decision. She threw six innings of nine-hit, eight-run (four earned), two-strikeout ball.

Head Coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke and the Lions return to the field this Saturday when they close out the non-conference portion of their ledger in Manchester, N.H. at Southern New Hampshire University. First pitch for Game One is scheduled for 1 p.m.