HOCKESSIN, DE. - Before opening East Coast Conference play on Saturday afternoon, the Queens College softball team traveled to Hockessin, De., in a Thursday afternoon doubleheader against the Lightning of Goldey-Beacom College at Jackson Complex.
In game one, the Knights were led by starter graduate student
Allyson Dilday (Castle Rock, CO.) who limited the Lightning batters to six hits, with two earned runs and struck out a season-high nine batters but despite the offense outhitting the home side, 8-6, missed opportunities would hurt Queens' chance of winning the game as they dropped game one to the score of 3-2 in extra innings.
In game two, Queens would respond by taking an early lead but the offense would be shut down as they were limited to four hits to drop the nightcap to the score of 6-1.
Queens began game one on a strong note as junior
Dyana Budakowski (Washingtonville, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, R) reached third base on a throwing error which eventually allowed her to advance to third. Senior
Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Springs, FL) (0-2 AB, RBI, R), would give the Knights an early lead of 1-0 as she scored Budakowski on a bunt.
Leading 1-0, Dilday would work out a two-hit single down the right field line as she got the fourth batter of the inning to foul out.
After the Lightning got the first out, sophomore
Dani Roselli (Levittown, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B) broke her hitting slump with a double to right center but the Knights would leave two runners stranded but still led 1-0.
The Lightning would take a 2-1 lead as they tallied three hits for two runs taking advantage of a fielding error in the bottom of the second.
Looking to respond Budakowski singled to first base before Alvarado reached first on a hit by a pitch giving the visitors two runners with no out. However, Budakowski would get caught stealing third base for the first out before the Lightning got a swinging strikeout.
But Queens would load the bases as junior
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI) singled to center field as Alvarado advanced to second.
Still with two out, junior
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-4 AB) singled to left enter and looking to have driven home the tying run but a fielding umpire miscommunication would derail any chance of the Knights proceeding with the tying run as they were forced to settle with a loaded base opportunity.
But the Lightning would evade any further damage as they got the third out to fly out to center field.
In the pitching circle, Dilday continued to keep the Lightning bats quiet with two straight cleaning including striking out the side in the bottom of the third.
Queens would tie the game in the top half of the fifth as Alvarado earned a walk with one out before senior
Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) (1-4 AB) singled to right center.
On a day where luck would continue to evade the Knights squad, an overthrow would allow Grimshaw to advance to second but it would hit Alvarado as she looked to score but was forced to hold at third.
Next batter Murphy would tie the game with a RBI sac fly out to center field as Queens tied the game 2-2.
But as Dilday kept the Lightning offense quiet, her own offense was unable to solve the Lightning defense as Queens left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth.
After the graduate student worked out of a single to begin the bottom of the seventh, the Knights were heading to their first extra-inning game of the season.
To begin extras, Queens began the top of the eighth with a runner on second before they quickly got another base runner as Roselli got hit by a pitch.
A sac bunt would advance both runners into scoring before a sac fly looked to have given Queens a 3-2 lead but after an appeal, the home plate umpire ruled the Knights runners out on third stating she left early giving the visitors a double play to end the inning.
The Lightning would take game one 3-2 on back-to-back bunts as Queens were left to rue missed opportunities in the field and base running.
Game two would begin with Queens taking a 1-0 lead as Budakowski scored on a RBI double to left center field.
But the home side wasted no time tying the game as they tallied two hits including a RBI triple down the right field line for the tying run.
After outhitting the home side in game one, Queens was unable to get the bats going in game two as they were outhit 11-4 as the Goldey-Beacom scored six unanswered runs to complete the Thursday afternoon sweep over the Knights.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Amy Delmore and the Knights open East Coast Conference play on Saturday (Mar. 25) afternoon as they travel to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. with a matchup against the Mavericks of Mercy College. First pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at
queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook
(Queens College Athletics), Twitter
(@QCKnights), Queens College Softball
(@qcsoftball), and Instagram
(qcknightsny), qcsoftball
(@qcsoftball)
