DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. - The Queens College softball team clinched the fourth and final spot in the April 26-28, East Coast Conference Championships Tuesday afternoon, by virtue of its split at conference foe Mercy College. After dropping the opening contest by an 8-4 count, the Knights bounced back to secure a 12-5, tourney berth-clinching decision in the nightcap.
Game 1: Mercy 8, Queens 4
The Knights struck first in the top of the first inning, when freshman Monique Roberge (New Hyde Park, N.Y.; 2-for-3) singled home junior Allison Breakey (Frankfort, Ill.).
The Mavericks countered with two runs in the first and one in the third, before QC put up a three-spot in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 advantage. The first two batters of the inning (Breakey and freshman Samantha Mattsson) were hit by a pitch, before back-to-back walks to Jennifer Shereyka (Fr., Parlin, N.J.) and Roberge brought home Breakey. Pinch-runner Alexandra Drago (Jr., Commack, N.Y.) scored one batter later on a fielder's choice, before junior Carla Pennolino (Middle Village, N.Y.) singled home Shereyka with a base-knock to left.
Mercy responded with five runs in its half of the fifth to secure the contest.
Game 2: Queens 12, Mercy 5
Pennolino, and sophomores Kaitlyn Crowley (Patchogue, N.Y.) and Melissa Natale (Yaphank, N.Y.) all hit homers for the Knights, who used an eight-run fifth to convert a 4-3 deficit into an 11-4 advantage, punching QC's ticket to the conference championships in the process.
Pennolino's two-run shot to center plated freshman Sara Schendel (Seattle, Wash.; 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R) to give Queens a 2-1 lead in the top of the second.
The Mavericks responded with a three-run second to take a two-run lead, before the Knights chipped away in the third when Schendel's double to center scored Shereyka (2-for-4) to cut the QC deficit to 4-3.
Queens sent 11 hitters to the plate in the fifth frame, including an RBI single to left by Crowley (2-for-4, 2 R) and a two-run homer to left-center by Natale. The Knights capitalized on three Mercy errors in the inning to secure the lead for good.
Crowley sent a solo blast to left field in the top of the seventh inning to ice the triumph for the visitors.
Freshman right-hander Isabelle Yaroch (Annandale, Va.) pitched five innings of two-hit, one-run, four-strikeout relief to earn the victory in the pitcher's circle.
Interim head coach John Pisano's Knights wrap up ECC regular-season play Saturday afternoon, when they travel to the University of Bridgeport for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
