Concordia/Queens Box Score
Georgian Court/Queens Box Score
CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Queens College softball team opened up its 2011 campaign Thursday morning at the National Training Center, dropping a pair of two-run decisions after late-inning rallies. The Knights fell in their opening contest by a 6-4 count to Concordia (N.Y.), before losing the nightcap to regional mainstay Georgian Court, 7-5. Sophomore shortstop Anniela Vaccaro hit a home run in each contest.
Concordia 6, Queens 4
Queens got its season off to a great start in the top of the first inning, scoring a trio of runs when Vaccaro launched a home run over the left-field fence. Center fielder, Samantha Stallone (1-for-3, SB) reached on a leadoff walk, and moved to second when Faith Tessmer (three walks) reached on an infield error. Two batters later, Vaccaro registered her first round-tripper of the season, giving the Knights a 3-0 edge.
After the Clippers picked up two runs in the top half of the second inning, Queens came back and pushed its lead to 4-2 due to some crafty baserunning by Allison Breakey. Breakey reached on a two-out throwing error, before stealing second base. Stallone then reached on an infield single when the lineup turned over, and a throwing error on the play allowed Breakey to dash home with the Knights' fourth run of the day.
From that point on, however, the Queens bats were silenced by Concordia pitcher Alexa Rosella, who allowed just one hit and two walks from that point forward and finished with a complete-game, 10-strikeout effort to earn the victory. The Clippers staked her to the win after scoring once in the fifth inning, and three times in the sixth to account for the 6-4 final score.
Carla Pennolino picked up one hit in the contest for Queens, while senior hurler Bryttne Santana took the loss in the pitching circle, allowing six hits, six runs (four earned) and two walks while striking out nine.
Georgian Court 7, Queens 5
The Knights got off to a strong start in this contest as well, picking up two runs in the top half of the first inning. Tessmer (2-for-4) reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, before Vaccaro (three runs, two walks) was issued a one-out walk. Both runners moved up on a ground out, before scoring when Santana reached on an error in the left side of the infield.
Georgian Court knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second frame, before Queens regained the lead in the top of the third. Vaccaro took a leadoff walk, and promptly stole second base. Designated player, Caroline Carbone followed up with a RBI single to right field, plating Vaccaro and giving the Knights a 3-2 edge.
Things started to unravel in the bottom of the third in the pitching circle for Tessmer, who allowed three runs as the Lions captured a 5-3 lead.
All was calm from that point until the top of the sixth inning, when Queens tied the score once again. Tessmer reached on a one-out infield single, and came around when Vaccaro hit her second homer of the afternoon to knot the game at 5-all.
GCU plated a pair of runs of eventual losing pitcher, Nicole Turato (3 IP, 4 H, BB) in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-5 advantage. In the top of the seventh, catcher Kaitlyn Crowley and Pennolino reached on a single and walk, respectively, bringing the potential go-ahead run to the plate. However, a game-ending double play ended the QC rally.
