STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Continuing their East Coast Conference road stand, the Queens College softball team
(6-10 ECC) traveled to Staten Island for a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader against the College of Staten Island Dolphins
(3-13 ECC) at CSI Softball Complex.
Looking to complete their first ECC series sweep of the season, the Knights had a big task in front of them as they needed to do something they had not done all year long which was win on the road.
On the season, Queens entered Tuesday's doubleheader winless on the road as they looked to complete the four-game series sweep over the Dolphins having swept the first doubleheader at home back on Mar. 28.
In game one, the offense tallied five hits led by senior
Cyarra Alvarado (Coral Springs, FL) (1-2 AB, RBI, R, 2BB), senior
Ann Grimshaw (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, 3RBI, BB), sophomore
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, BB), sophomore
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, 2B, 2R, BB), and freshman
Brianna Call (Fishkill, N.Y.) (1-3 AB) as the five Knights combined for five hits.
While the trio of Alvarado, Grimshaw, and Baez combined for five RBI.
But it was the pitching of graduate student
Allyson Dilday (Castle Rock, CO.) (W 6-10, 7.0 IP, 3H, ER, 2BB, 12K) who would steal the show in game one as the Castle Rock native limited the bats of the Dolphins to three hits while recording 12 strikeouts to earn her sixth victory of the season and second victory over CSI as Queens took game one to the score of 5-1.
On the season, Dilday touched nine strikeouts on three separate occasions before she took her play to a new level to set a new season-high of 12 punchouts. The 12 strikeouts are the most by a Knights since the 2015 season when Monique Roberge tallied 13 strikeouts on two separate occasions against SCSU (Apr. 4) and Dowling (Apr. 25).
While in game two, the Knights offense tallied six hits led by Call's
(2-3 AB, RBI, R) first two-hit performance of the season, while senior
Katherine Gallagher (Orlando, FL.) (1-3 AB, 2B), Baez
(1-2 AB, R), junior
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI) and Zumpol
(1-2 AB, RBI) combined for four hits.
The trio of Call, Murphy, and Zumpol recorded three RBI in the nightcap.
Dilday
(W 7-10, 7.0 IP, 7H, 2BB, 9K) was awarded the ball to start game two and would never relinquish the job given to her as the Castle Rock pitched another masterful seven innings of work to earn her second victory of the day as she kept the Lions quiet as she pitched her second shutout game of the season to go with nine strikeouts (4x) as her offense gave her runs needed to defeat the Dolphins to the final score of 3-0 to complete the four-game series sweep over their fellow CUNY member foe.
On the day, Dilday put in 14 innings of work as she allowed 10 hits, four walks, and 21 strikeouts to lead the Knights to two crucial ECC road wins to improve the Knights record to 6-10 in conference play and give Queens their first two road victories of the year.
In game one, both starting pitchers would keep the game scoreless through the first two innings of play before Queens opened the scoring in the top of the third.
Zumpol began the frame with a double to center field before junior
Dyana Budakowski (Washingtonville, N.Y.) advanced the sophomore to third with a sac bunt. Alvarado put the Knights ahead 1-0 with a RBI single to right center before Dilday retired the Dolphins in order for the second time on the day to end the third inning of play.
Queens would leave a base runner stranded in the top of the fourth before Dolphins tied the game in the home half of the fourth but it would be the only run Dilday would surrender as she struck out two more batters in the fourth.
With Dilday continuing to keep any base runner the Dolphins would get on first base, her offense continued to search for more runs to provide support.
With the game tied 1-1 heading into the top of the seventh, the Knights would find the runs needed for the victory.
As Zumpol battled a 2-2 count to draw a walk to open the inning, Budakowski reached first base on a fielding error before a five-pitch walk to Alvarado loaded the bases for Grimshaw.
With the bases juiced, Grimshaw staring at a 3-1 count laced a three-RBI double down the left field line to clear the bases as Queens took a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Dolphins would get the first out before Baez added the fourth run of the inning with a RBI single through the left side as the Knights gave Dilday a 5-1 lead to close out the game.
Entering the home half of the seventh with nine strikeouts, she would get the first batter swinging for the first out before a walk gave the Dolphins a base runner. But the graduate student stayed on course as she ended game one with back-to-back strikeouts to run her total to 12 punchouts on the day as Queens clinched the series over CSI to the final score of 5-1.
In the nightcap, Dilday took the pitching circle for the second time to start the game. She would get the first out before the Dolphins threaten to open the scoring with a one-out double to left center field and a hit by pitch gave the home side two runners on base for the first time on the day against the Castle Rock native in eight innings.
But the righty remained unfazed as she retired the two batters in order, first with a line out to Alvarado at shortstop before inducing a grounder right back to her to leave both base runners stranded and keep the game scoreless.
As the Knights were sent down in order, the Dolphins would tally a single to begin the home half of the second but she would go on to retire the next three batters to put up another zero on the scoreboard.
As the Dolphins' defense continued to keep the Knights off the bases, their offense continued to get base runners, but each time Dilday would work around the runners to keep the game tied.
In the top of the fifth, Gallagher opened the inning with a double to left field to give Queens their first base runner of the game and break the no-hitter. Gallagher would be subbed out for rookie
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) to pinch run as the Knights looked to open the scoring. Baez would deliver with a sac bunt to advance Parascandola to third base before a RBI sac fly from Murphy gave Queens a 1-0 lead.
Now pitching with a lead, Dilday would retire the first two batters with back-to-back strikeouts before a walk gave the Dolphins a base runner for the fifth straight inning but she would keep the CSI runner stranded on first as she got the fourth batter of the inning to line out to Budakowski at center field to keep the 1-0 lead intact.
Looking to provide insurance runners, Call opened the top of the sixth with a single up the middle before stealing second base. Next batter Zumpol would increase the lead to 2-0 with a RBI single up the middle as Call scored from second base.
The Dolphins would threaten in the home half of the sixth with two singles, but with Dilday in rhythm, the Castle Rock native continued to dig deep as she continued the route to her second shutout of the season.
As Dilday continued her shutout, her offense would add another insurance needed for the righty to put the finishing touches on the game.
But the Dolphins would not go away without a fight as the home side added drama in the home half of the seventh inning.
The first batter would get hit by a pitch before Dilday struck out the second batter to ring her rally to 20 punchout on the day. But a single and a walk would load the bases with the tying run on first base.
But the graduate student would get the fifth batter of the inning to pop out to Grimshaw at second base as Dilday's pitch count entered over 200 pitches on the day.
But she would earn her second shutout of the season as she used five pitches to earn her 21
ststrikeout of the day as Queens earned a 3-0 game two victory over CSI for a crucial ECC series sweep.
Next Pitch: Head coach
Amy Delmore and the Knights stay on the road as they travel to Caldwell, NJ in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday (Apr. 26) afternoon as they match up against the Cougars of Caldwell University. First pitch set for 2:00 p.m.
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