FLUSHING, N.Y.- After playing six road homes, the Queens College Knights softball team returned to Flushing as they welcomed the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights in a Sunday afternoon East Coast Conference (ECC) doubleheader at QC Softball Field. 
 
After splitting their Saturday doubleheader against Staten Island, the Knights hoped to have the same luck on their field but were defeated in both games to the ECC preseason favorites Purple Knights as they fell 8-5, 6-1 on Sunday. 
 
With the losses, the Knights moved to 2-10 in ECC, while the Purple Knights improved to 11-1 in ECC play. 
 
Game One: Queens College 5, Bridgeport 8
 
The Knights quickly found themselves trailing 2-0 as the visitors tallied four hits for two runs to take an early lead. But the Knights would respond with a run of their own as freshman Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Springs, Fla) (2-4 AB, 2B, 2R, RBI) singled to shortstop to start the rally. Alvarado would plate home as senior Danielle D'Angelo, (Middle Island, N.Y.)(2-4 AB, 2B, 2RBI) doubled up the middle to bring the Knights within one. Queens would leave the bases loaded as the Purple Knights prevented any further damage. 
 
But Bridgeport would explode for four runs on five hits as game one starter sophomore Emma Wimmer (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) struggled with her location. Trailing 6-1, the Knights answered back in the bottom of the third inning with two runs. After sophomore Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) reached a fielder choice, senior Jessica Hickey (Long Island City, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2B, R, RBI) doubled down the left field line as Murphy rounded the base to cut the deficit down to 6-2. Next batter freshman Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI) doubled to right center as the home side cut their deficit in half as Hickey scored from second. But every time the Knights would respond with runs of their own, the Purple Knights had an answer. 
 
The visitors would extend their advantage to 8-3 after four and a half innings of play. 
 
After junior Noelle Bryggman (Huntington, N.Y) (0-2 AB, R, 2BB) earned a one-out walk, Alvarado laced the first pitch down the left field line for a RBI double as Bryggman scored from first base. D'Angelo would bring the Knights within three with a RBI single as Alvarado plated home to cut the score down to 8-5 after four innings of play. 
 
But the Knights were unable to continue the scoring as they were held hitless for the remaining three innings to drop game one 8-5. 
 
Game One: Queens College 1, Bridgeport 6
 
After two scoreless innings, Bridgeport took another 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning as they tallied game two starter Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) for four runs on five hits. Queens were able to respond with a run of their own in the bottom frame as freshman Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2B, R) doubled to right center to put a runner in scoring position. Bryggman (1-3 AB) would advance Verruso to third with a successfully executed bunt before stealing second for her fifth stolen base of the season. Alvarado would score Verruso as she grounded out to Bridgeport's second basemen to cut the score to 4-1. 
 
But that would be the lone run of the game for the Knights as they were limited to three hits for the remainder of the game as the offense was shutout to drop game two 6-1. The Knights were held to six hits in game two with Murphy recording her second multi-hit game of the season. 
 
UP NEXT: The homestand continues on Tuesday (Apr. 20) afternoon as the Knights welcome the Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas College to Flushing for an ECC doubleheader at QC Softball Field. First game is slated for 2:30 p.m. start time. 
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