Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Queens College softball team (9-7, 2-0 ECC) ripped five home runs Saturday afternoon, including two by Carla Pennolino, as the Knights garnered a sweep in their East Coast Conference-opening doubleheader against visiting Bridgeport (5-11, 0-2 ECC). QC picked up an 8-2 victory in the opening contest, before winning a five-inning, 8-0 affair in the nightcap.
Game 1: Queens 8, Bridgeport 2
Pennolino (3 R) and Anniela Vaccaro (2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, SB) each went 3-for-4 with a home run, while freshman catcher Kaitlyn Crowley went 1-for-3 and added a two-run blast of her own. Pitcher Faith Tessmer moved to 4-3 on the season, firing a complete-game four-hitter with six walks and seven strikeouts.
The visiting Purple Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Taylor McBeth drilled a two-out solo homer to center field. Queens responded with two runs in the bottom of the second inning, when Pennolino (leadoff single) scored on Bryttne Santana's one-out single up the middle, and the latter scored on Melissa Natale's second double of the season.
Chloe Shill (2-for-4) singled up the middle for Bridgeport in the top of the third to score Leona Reyna and knot the game at 2-all. From there, though, the host Knights posted three-run innings in the bottom of the third and sixth innings to put the game out of reach. In the third, Vaccaro led off with a double to left-center and came home on Crowley's two-run jack to left field, giving QC the lead for good at 4-2. Seconds after the pair crossed the plate, Pennolino drilled the first pitch she saw over the left-field fence to push the Queens lead to three runs (5-2).
Allison Breakey (2-for-4) reached on a one-out single in the sixth, and came home when Vaccaro greeted relief pitcher Katie Caudullo with a one-strike homer to left-center, pushing QC in front by a 7-2 count. Two batters later, Pennolino singled to right-center and advanced to third on consecutive passed balls. Tessmer then reached on a fielding error, with Pennolino scoring on the play.
Tiffany Irrera took the loss in the pitching circle for UB, going 5.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and one walk, while striking out two.
Game 2: Queens 8, Bridgeport 0 (5 inn.)
Queens scored in all five innings, including a four-run third when Pennolino raked a one-out grand slam down the left field line. Santana earned a three-hit shutout in the circle for the Knights, allowing just one walk and striking out nine.
Crowley (2-for-3) got QC on the board in the first inning, as her two-run single to center plated Samantha Stallone (1-for-3, 2 SB). One inning later, Megan White joined the hit parade by slamming a 2-1 pitch over the center-field wall for a one-out homer, doubling the Knights' lead to 2-0.
Santana did not allow a hit until, after a runner reached on an infield error, she allowed back-to-back singles to McBeth and Emma Wojcik in the fourth inning. But with the bases loaded and nobody out, Santana struck out the next three hitters swinging to end the rally.
Breakey's (2-for-3) two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the fourth plated Catherine Pastor, who reached on a one-out double to left-center, while White's two-out single up the middle in the fifth frame scored Crowley (leadoff double) to end the game.
Head coach Brian DeMasters' Queens side is back in ECC action Sunday afternoon, as the Knights travel to Brookville, N.Y., for a 12 noon doubleheader at C.W. Post – who is receiving votes in this week's NFCA Division II Top 25 poll.
