FLUSHING, N.Y. – Returning to non-conference play Thursday afternoon, the Queens College softball team welcomed NE10 member Yellow Jackets of American International College to QC Softball Field on a very cold March day. 
 
After taking a 6-5 lead after five complete innings, fielding errors would haunt the Knights as the Yellow Jackets scored four unanswered runs to take game one to the score of 9-6. 
 
In the nightcap, the visitors would take a 2-1 lead before the offense rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn a 4-2 comeback victory and earn a Thursday afternoon doubleheader split. 
 
In game one, the Knights offense tallied 12 hits led by senior Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, 2B, RBI), junior duo of Dyana Budakowski (Washingtonville, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, R, BB) and Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 2RBI, 2R, 2SB), while five other Knights recorded a hit each. 
 
While in game two, the offense recorded seven hits led by the duo of sophomore Dani Roselli (Levittown, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 2B, HR, 3RBI, R) career day and junior Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI) as they combined for four RBI. 
 
Game two starter graduate student Allyson Dilday (Castle Rock, CO.) (W 3-5, 7.0 IP, 5H, ER, 7K) fired her second straight complete game to earn her second consecutive victory and third overall of the season. 
 
The Yellow Jackets would begin game one by taking an early lead as they rallied with two hits on starter Budakowski. But the junior would keep the damage to one run heading into the home frame.
 
Budakowski began the inning with a single to the shortstop before the visitors got the first out. Grimshaw continued to keep her bat hot as she quickly tied the game with her team-leading sixth double of the season to score Budakowski. 
 
But the visitors would respond in the top of the second inning as they tallied Budakowski for four hits to reclaim a 5-1 lead. 
 
After leaving two runners on base in the bottom of the third, the Knight would answer back in the home half of the fourth. 
 
With one out, O'Connor tallied her first hit of the afternoon with a single through the left side before the Yellow Jackets got the second out. 
 
With the Yellow Jackets one out away from leaving another base runner stranded, sophomoreCaroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, SB) singled to center field to advance O'Connor to second. 
 
Queens would cut the deficit down to 5-2 as sophomore Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI, BB) delivered with a RBI single to left center field as Queens cut their deficit down to three runs. 
 
The Knights defense would leave two Yellow Jackets runners stranded as they looked to continue to cut into their deficit. 
 
Grimshaw's hot bat continued as she tallied a single to left field before Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, R) sent a rocket back to the pitcher, but the Yellow Jackets were unable to make a play as Queens had two runners on and no outs. 
 
A single by Roselli would load the bases before a two-RBI single from O'Connor to left center field saw the Knights cut the score down to 5-4. 
 
As the Knights stole second and third base to negate the double play, the Yellow Jackets would get the first out before pinch hitter senior Katherine Gallagher (Orlando, FL.) (1-1 AB, RBI) tied the game 5-5 with a RBI single down the left field line.
 
O'Connor would steal home as the Knights took a 6-5 lead with still only one out.
 
But a liner from Budakowski would end the inning as the visitors got a double play to end the inning. 
 
But two fielding errors in the sixth and seventh would take the momentum out of the Knights hand as the visitors took game one to the score of 9-6. 
 
In game two, Dilday started the game by retiring the side in order as she wasted no time settling in. 
 
Budakowski (1-3 AB) began the home half of the first with a single down the left field line but a double play would stop any momentum as the Yellow Jackets kept the game scoreless. 
 
The graduate student would retire the side in order once again before Roselli's first home run of the season over the left field fence gave Queens a 1-0 lead after two complete innings of play. 
 
As Dilday struck out the side in the top of the third before she opened the fourth inning by retiring her 10^th straight batter, her perfect game would come to an end as the visitors tallied their first hit of game two. 
 
But the Knights would avoid any damage as the defense got the second out caught stealing second base before Dilday retired her 12^th batter with a fly out to left center field. 
 
The Yellow Jackets would end the shutout in the top of the fifth as they tallied two hits to tie the game 1-1 before they took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a defensive miscue.
 
As the visitors opened the home half of the sixth by retiring the first two batters, Pescatore (1-3 AB, R, SB) extended the inning with a single to left center field before Grimshaw (1-3 AB) singled through the right side to give Queens two runners on base.
 
But with two outs, Roselli's third multi-hit game of the season would come big as the sophomore tallied her first multi-RBI of the year as she cleared the bases with her second extra-base hit of the afternoon to right field to give Queens a 3-2 lead. 
 
Wilkinson would give Queens an insurance run with a single through the right side as the home side rallied back with two out to take a 4-2 lead. 
 
Having retaken the lead, Dilday would officially shut the door to earn her second straight win with her fourth clean inning of the day as the Knights earned a comeback 4-2 victory over AIC and earn the doubleheader split. 
 
UP NEXT: Head coach Amy Delmore and the Knights continue non-conference play on Friday (Mar. 31) afternoon as they welcome the Chargers of Dominican University (N.Y.) to QC Softball Field. First pitch set for 2:00 p.m.
 
All home games will be live-streamed on the QC Sports Network and ECC Network and fans can follow along on live stats.
 

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