Flushing, N.Y. - The Queens College softball team got a pair of strong outings from Monique Roberge and Isabelle Yaroch as they earned a split of a doubleheader with Dowling from Flushing on Thursday.  The Golden Lions won the first game, 2-1, and the Knight stook the rubber match, 4-0.

In game one, it was a single bad inning that cost QC the game.  Roberge got the start and struggled in the first, walking four batters which led to Dowling's two runs scored.

Queens got one back in the bottom of the first when singles from Alicia Gonzalez and Samantha Mattsson eventually led to Mattsson scoring on a wild pitch.  Roberge settled down from there and was masterful the rest of the way.  She retired ten batters in a row until a one-out double in the fifth.

Trailing 2-1, the Knights rallied in the seventh.  Nicole Pirretti led off with a base hit.  Two batters later, Stevianne Ognibene laced a double into the right field corner, putting the tying run at third and the winning run at second.  The next batter, Catherine Pastor, ripped a liner that was headed into the outfield until the second baseman caught it and doubled Ognibene off second to end the game.

Game two saw Yaroch go distance to earn her 11th win of the season.  QC scored all four runs in the third inning when Pastor walked with one out.  Melissa Natale followed her with a two-run home run off the tennis bubble in left field. Roberge and Kayla Morrissey walked and came in to score on a Pirretti double.

Yaroch shut down the Golden Lions the rest of the way.  She was helped out by a sparkling double play turned by Mattsson at shortstop in the fourth inning. Dowling only had two runners reach third base all game.

With the spilt, QC is now 22-12 overall and 10-6 in the ECC.  The team returns to action on Saturday, April 12, when they face STAC in a doubleheader from Sparkill, New York.  Game one is scheduled for noon.

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