FLUSHING, N.Y. – It was a fitting finish on Senior Day as the Queens College softball team concluded the regular season with a Sunday afternoon East Coast Conference sweep over the College of Staten Island Dolphins at QC Softball Field.
With the sweep, the Knights conclude the 2022 season with an overall record of 8-28, 8-16 in ECC play.
Before the start of game one, head coach
Amy Delmore and Associate Athletic Director
Jay Bijlani honored graduating seniors
Marisa Sagona (North Babylon, N.Y.),
Danielle D'Angelo (Middle Island, N.Y.), Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.), Katherine Gallagher (Orlando, Fla), Emma Wimmer (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) and
Noelle Bryggman (Huntington, N.Y.).
In game one, the Knights tallied eight hits led by freshman
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, R), Sagona
(2-4 AB, RBI, 2R), while juniors
Joy Papagianopoulos (Wading River, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, 2R), Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-1 AB, RBI, R, BB) and freshman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI) knocked in a RBI in 6-2 game two victory.
In the circle, Wimmer
(W, 2-12, 7.0 IP, 8H, 2ER, 3K) pitched a complete game to earn the victory.
In game two, the Knights' offense tallied five hits as Baez
(1-4 AB, RBI), D'Angelo
(1-3 AB, 2B, 2R, BB), Sagona
(1-2 AB, 2BB), Murphy
(1-3 AB, RBI, BB), and junior
Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Spring, Fla) (1-2 AB, 2B, BB) with Baez and Murphy knocking in a RBI.
In the circle
Myaisha Kelly (Albany, N.Y.) (ND, 6.2 IP, 6H, 2ER, career-high 6K) and Wimmer
(W, 3-11, 3H) combined for eight innings of work in the 3-2 victory.
Queens came out of the gates swinging as Baez and Wimmer opened the inning with back-to-back singles before D'Angelo got hit by a pitch to load the bases with no out. The Dolphins would get the first out before Baez scored on a fielder's choice to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Wimmer would continue to put up zeros as the offense looked to keep the scoring going. Up 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third, D'Angelo would get on base with her second hit by a pitch before Grimshaw worked a four-pitch walk. Sagona would load the bases with a single to right field before the Dolphins got the first out. But a second hit by pitch of the inning would extend the lead to 2-0 as Murphy loaded the bases once again. A fielding error would extend the lead to 3-0 before Papagianopoulos scored on a wild pitch to put the Knights in a commanding lead of 4-0.
The Knights would score two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Papagianopoulos and Zumpol delivered with RBI singles to extend the lead to 6-0.
The Dolphins would attempt a comeback in the top of the sixth inning as they tallied four hits to cut the Knights' lead down to 6-2. But Gallagher would catch the runner stealing third to end the inning and limit the damage to two runs.
Wimmer would close out the game with a clean inning in the top of the seventh to earn her second win of the season and start the senior day doubleheader on a high note.
Game two was a pitcher duel as both starters put up zeros to start the game until Queens opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth. D'Angelo started the home half of the fourth with a double to left-center field before Grimshaw and Sagona earned back-to-back walks to load the bases. D'Angelo would score on a wild pitch to give the Knights a 1-0 lead before the Dolphins were able to retire the next three batters.
In the circle, Kelly continued to shut down the Dolphins as she continued to deal holding a 1-0 lead heading into the seventh inning with the visitors who were down to their last three outs would make their comeback.
After Kelly tied her season-best five punchouts to start the seventh, the Dolphins would tally back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. But Kelly would notch a career-best six strikeouts for the second out but the Dolphins would tie the game with their third single of the game.
Wimmer would replace Kelly as the Knights looked to minimize the damage but the Dolphins' fourth single of the inning would give the visitors a 2-1 lead before the Knights caught the Dolphins in a double steal to end the inning at home plate.
With the Dolphins having their lead of the game looked to play senior day spoils heading into the bottom of the seventh. The visitors would strike out the first batter before Alvarado battled in a seven-pitch at-bat for a walk. Staten Island would get the second out at second base but Papagianopoulos would reach on a fielder's choice before a throwing error allowed the junior to advance to second. The Wading River native would advance to third on a wild pitch before Zumpol earned a walk to put the winning run on first base.
The next batter Baez would deliver quickly with a RBI single to right field as the Knights tied the game 2-2. But the Dolphins would finally get the third out to send the game into extra innings.
Wimmer returned to the circle as she was determined to close out her career on a high and in line for her second win of the afternoon. She would start the eighth with a grounder to third base before the Dolphins tallied a double to left field. But Wimmer would get the second out at shortstop. With a runner in scoring position, the Dolphins looked to have taken a 3-2 lead on a single up the middle but a timely throw from D'Angelo from center field to Gallagher at home would get the Knights out of the inning and keep the game tied to set up a senior day sweep.
With seniors D'Angelo, Grimshaw, and Sagona slated to start the bottom of the eighth giving one of the three seniors a shining moment to earn a walk-off hit. D'Angelo began the inning with a walk before Grimshaw got hit by a pitch before Sagona earned a walk to load the bases for junior Murphy to deliver the winning hit with no outs.
Murphy quickly found herself in a 0-2 count but the junior would battle as she kept her at-bat alive. After facing seven pitches, Murphy would lace the eighth pitch for a winning RBI single to right field as D'Angelo scored from third to kick off the senior day festivities.
For the second straight season, the Knights end senior day with walk-off victories in extra innings.
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