FLUSHING, N.Y. – For every deficit the Queens College softball team found themselves in, they would continue to dig deep and fight back against the visiting Molloy College Lions Tuesday afternoon at QC Softball Field.
In game one, the Knights found themselves trailing 4-0 after the first inning of play, but the offense would rally back to take lead a 6-4 after four innings but the Lions would take the game one victory to the final score of 9-6. In the nightcap, the Lions took an early lead but Queens would continue to answer back for every deficit they found themselves in before winning 10-9 on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth as game two was called due to darkness.
With the split, the Knights improved to 5-12 in ECC play, while the Lions moved to 9-7 in conference play.
The offense combined for 17 hits to score 16 runs in the Tuesday doubleheader led by the senior duo of
Danielle D'Angelo (Middle Island, N.Y.) (5-7 AB,2 2B, 2RBIs, 2R) and
Marisa Sagona (North Babylon, N.Y.) (3-6 AB, 3RBIs, R) as the duo combined for eight hits and five RBIs.
The Lions took a 4-0 lead to start the afternoon before the Knights battled back in the bottom of the third inning. Junior
Joy Papagianopoulos (Wading River, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2R) would open the inning as she got on base after getting hit by a pitch before a fielding error put two runners on base for the Knights with no outs. After the Lions' got back-to-back outs, freshman
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 3B, RBI, R) would clear the bases with a triple to right field to bring the Knights within 4-2. D'Angelo would cut the deficit down to 4-3 with a RBI double down the left-field line before the Lions finally got the last out.
After the Queens' defense worked a clean fourth inning, they would take their 6-4 lead as they tallied four hits. After the Lions got the first out, Sagona and Papagianopoulos would single back-to-back before
Dyana Budakowski (Washingtonville, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI, 2R) would tie the game with a RBI double to right-center to score Sagona. The Knights would take a 5-4 lead as freshman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI) drove home Papagianopoulos with a RBI single up the middle. Budakowski would steal home to put the Knights up 6-4 after four complete innings of play.
But the Lions would fight back and take a 7-6 lead in the top of the sixth before adding on two additional runs in the top of the seventh to defeat the Knights 9-6.
The nightcap saw both teams combined for 20 hits and 19 runs on eight fielding errors as both sides traded leads throughout the game.
Once again Molloy opened the game with an early 2-0 lead, but the Knights wasted no time in responding back. Baez
(1-4 AB, 3R) opened the home half of the first with a single to left-center field before sophomore
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, R) advanced Baez to second as the Lions got the first out. Baez would steal third base but a throwing error would allow the Selden native to score as the Knights cut the deficit down to 2-1. But the Knights would leave two runners on bases as they were unable to make further inroads.
After both defenses put up a zero in the second inning, the Lions would extend their advantage to 3-1 as they took advantage of fielding errors. But the Knights' offense showed no quit as they took their first lead of the game on four hits. Fracchioni would open the third frame with a single up the middle before D'Angelo
(3-3 AB, RBI, 2R) singled down the left-field line to put runners on second and first.
But the Lions would get the force out at third for the first out before junior
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2B, RBI, 2R, BB) doubled to left-center field to bring the Knights within 3-2. The next batter, Sagona
(2-3 AB, 3RBI) would tie the match with RBI single to center field before Papagianopoulos gave the Knights a 4-3 lead on a sac bunt.
However, the Lions would not be outdone as two fielding errors would come back to haunt the Knights as the visitors reclaimed the lead with a four run fourth inning for a 7-4 lead.
As the Lions put up four runs in the top half of the fourth, it was the Knights who would top the visitors with a five-run inning on three hits and two Lions errors for a 9-7 lead.
As Zumpol opened the home half of the fourth with a walk, Baez would reach on a fielding error before Fracchioni loaded the bases with a single through the left side. D'Angelo would cut the deficit down to 7-5 with a RBI single before the Lions got the first out but Baez would capitalize to score from third as the Lions were caught off guard. A walk to Murphy would load the bases before Sagona delivered with a two-RBI single through the right side to give the Knights an 8-6 lead.
Queens would take a 9-7 lead as Murphy took advantage of a throwing error to score from third.
With the light starting to fade around QC Softball field, the Lions once again responded and tied the game 9-9.
With the game tied, 9-9, Zumpol earned the Knights' fourth walk of the game but as the Lions got the first out, Baez would advance to second on a throwing error. Fracchioni would advance Baez to third as the Lions got the second out. With the dangerous D'Angelo up to bat, the senior would battle to keep her at-bat alive before a passed ball would deliver the Knights winning run as Baez scored from third to give the Knights a 10-9 wild win.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Amy Delmore and the Knights continue conference play on Thursday (Apr. 21) as they travel to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. with a matchup against Mercy College Mavericks. The first pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
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