FLUSHING, N.Y. – Continuing non-conference play Friday afternoon, the Queens College softball team welcomed CACC member Chargers of Dominican University (N.Y.) to QC Softball Field on a cloudy and chilly Friday afternoon.
It would be a tough loss in the opener as the offense left 12 runners on base to drop game one to the score of 2-1 in eight innings before Queens rallied to earn a 3-1 game two victory for the Friday afternoon doubleheader split against the Chargers.
In game one, the Knights offense tallied five hits led by
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, 2B, RBI) who tallied the lone RBI but the offense would leave the bases loaded on three separate occasions as Queens fell 2-1 in their third extra inning game of the season.
While in game two, the Knights recorded nine hits led by sophomore
Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, R, SB) while the trio of senior
Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI), junior
Kristian Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2B, RBI) and sophomore
Dani Roselli (Levittown, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI) combined for three RBI in the win.
In the pitching circle graduate student
Allyson Dilday (Castle Rock, CO.) (W 4-5, 7.0 IP, 6H, BB, 4K) earned her third win of the week and fourth overall of the season as she limited the Chargers' offense to six hits, one walk and struck out four batters.
In game one, junior
Dyana Budakowski (Washingtonville, N.Y.) continued to keep the Chargers' offense at bay as her offense looked to open the scoring.
As Budakowski fired four straight shutout innings, the Knights would get on board in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Chargers would get the first out before junior
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) battled for a seven-pitch walk before sophomore
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) advanced Wilkinson to second.
With a runner in scoring position, O'Connor put the Knights up 1-0 with a RBI double through the right side as Wilkinson scored from second. But the Knights would leave the bases loaded as they were unable to extend their advantage.
As Budakowski left the Chargers' bases load in the top of the sixth inning, Queens were unable to add insurance runs in the home half of the sixth.
But the Chargers would tie the game in the top of the seventh before tallying the winning run in the top of the eighth to defeat the Knights to the final score of 2-1 as Queens were left to rue two bases-loaded opportunities in the home half of the seventh and eighth.
In game two, Dilday would continue to leave the Chargers' base runners stranded while her offense searched for answers.
In the bottom of the third, With one-out, Budakowski began the charge with a bunt single before stealing second base.
Pescatore continued the inning with a shot back to the Chargers pitcher to put runners on second and first.
Both Budakowski and Pescatore would steal third and second to negate the double play before Grimshaw gave the Knights a 1-0 after three complete innings of play.
A fielding error in the outfield would open the top of the fourth inning and allow the Chargers to tie the game at 1-1. But Dilday would work out of trouble to leave another Dominican base runner stranded.
With the game tied 1-1, Baez reached base as she got hit by a pitch before senior
Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Springs, FL) (1-1 AB) advanced Baez to second base with a sac bunt.
As the Chargers got Dilday looking and looked to be getting out of the inning, Verruso battled for eight pitches as she kept her at-bat alive. Facing her ninth pitch of the at-bat, she would lace a double to right field to score Baez as Queens reclaimed a 2-1 after four complete innings of play.
The Chargers opened the top of the fifth with a single to left field before she got the next batter looking for the first out. The Colorado native would end the inning facing the bare minimum as she induced the next batter into a 6-4-3 double play as Queens kept their 2-1 lead intact.
The Knights would add an insurance run in the home half of the sixth as Roselli's third double of the season would give Queens a 3-1 lead.
Dilday would end the game facing the bare minimum as she retired the side in order in the top of the sixth before she induced her second double play of the day to end the game to earn her third victory of the week and fourth overall in the 3-1 victory.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Amy Delmore and the Knights conclude the week in East Coast Conference play as they travel to Rockville Centre, N.Y. on Sunday (Apr. 2) afternoon with a matchup against the Lions of Molloy University at RVC Sports Complex. First pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
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