Flushing, N.Y. - The Queens College softball team improved to 4-1 in the East Coast Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Mercy in a pair of games played on the softball field in Flushing on Sunday.  The Knights took the first game, 4-3 and won the second contest, 5-0.

ToniMarie Valeriano improved to 5-2 on the season by throwing a complete game in the opener.  She allowed three runs and struck out four.  The Mavericks scored once in the third and two more times in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead into the final inning for QC.

Stevianne Ognibene got the rally going with an infield single.  Samantha Mattsson followed with a line drive double to left center that scored Ognibene.  Kylie Spillett followed with a single and forced Mercy to change pitchers.  Kayla Morrissey walked to load the bases.  Nicole Pirretti was hit by a pitch and Mattsson scored to make the score 3-2, Mercy.  Cat Pastor then won the game with a two-RBI sinle that socred Jessica Hogan and Morrissey.  The Knights won 4-3.

Monique Roberge took the circle in game two and the senior was masterful.  She struck out 17 and scattered just three hits over seven innings of work.  She also hit a homer and drove in three runs.

QC took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo shot by Morrissey.  One inning later, Valeriano singled and Roberge blasted her homerun into the back of the bleachers in centerfield.  Queens added two more runs in the sixth on a Roberge groundout.

The Knights are now 10-8 overall and 4-1 in East Coast Conference play.  The team returns to action on Tuesday, March 31, when they travel to Connecticut to face Bridgeport in a doubleheader.