MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (Mar. 12, 2019) - Bolstered by a strong bullpen performance from Emma Wimmer and a consistent outing at the plate by Noelle Bryggman, the Queens College softball team picked up a 5-4 walk-off win over Ave Maria University on Tuesday (Mar. 12) in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams. The Gyrenes walked off a 4-3 victor in the second game against the Knights, with the contests taking place in Miami Shores, Fla. at Barry University.

Game One: Queens (NY) 5, Ave Maria 4 - Eight Innings
Ave Maria opened up play with a three-run first inning against QC starter Macy Kane as Michella Davis drove home a pair on a run-scoring single before Abagail Love connected on an RBI fielder's choice to put the Gyrenes ahead by a 3-0 score. A Davis home run in the top of the third gave Ave Maria a 4-0 lead before Wimmer came into the game and held the Gyrenes scoreless the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Queens got its first base-runner against starter Brittany Blizzard in the bottom of the third inning as Maryjane D'Agostino doubled to lead off the frame; the senior would score on an RBI hit by Bryggman to get the Knights on the board. Queens would connect for two runs in the bottom of the fifth as the Knights staked out a two-out rally beginning with a double by Rachel Katz.

Bryggman singled home the Knights' second run and scored on an error following a hit by Gabriella Vicidomini. Still trailing by a run going into the final inning of regulation softball, D'Agostino led off with a walk and advanced to scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Nicole Michaels. After a Katz single moved the runner station-to-station, Bryggman connected on another RBI single---her third of the contest---to tie the score. The freshman would steal second base but the Knights could not get the winning run home as Ave Maria turned an unassisted double play on a line-out to third base. 

Utilizing the international and NCAA softball tie-breaker rule (by which the batter who made the final out of the previous inning is placed at second base to begin each extra inning of play), Ave Maria started the top of the eighth with a runner on second. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with none out, the Knights escaped the jam as catcher Katherine Gallagher threw out the lead runner on an attempted steal play to keep the Gyrenes off the board. In the bottom of the inning, Vicidomini started at second base and scored on Gallagher's walk-off single down the left-field line to give Queens its first victory of the young season.

Wimmer picked up the win for the Knights in relief, tossing 5.2 innings of one-hit softball and striking out four batters to collect her first collegiate victory.

Game Two: Ave Maria 4, Queens (NY) 3
Allie Stanya took to the pitcher's circle in the second game of the doubleheader against Gyrenes hurler Aylin Naranjo and the two dueled through three scoreless innings as neither offense could solve their counterparts. In the top of the fourth inning, Queens would strike for two runs to take an advantage. Bryggman led things off with a single and she would score on a one-out double by Sharina Nazario. After Gallagher was hit by a pitch, Danielle D'Angelo drove a single up the middle to score Nazario with the second run of the inning for QC.

Stanya, meanwhile, cruised through five innings of shutout softball before the Gyrenes finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Kalie Romig singled to start the frame and then stole second base to eventually come around and score on an RBI hit by Naranjo. The Knights clung to a 2-1 lead but got insurance in the top of the seventh; Katz singled and stole second before moving to third on a productive out. She would then score as Marisa Sagona reached based on an error to give the Knights a 3-1 lead going into the final frame. Stanya struck out the first two batters of the bottom of the seventh, but Ave Maria ran off three straight hits with two outs to tie the score before Romig reached on an error that eventually scored the winning run.

Queens will return to action on Wednesday (Mar. 13) to face Nova Southeastern in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.