HOOKSETT, N.H. – A four-game non-conference road trip opened in Hooksett as the Queens College softball team matched up against the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University at SNHU Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon.
In game one the Knights offense outhit the Penmen 10-6 led by three multi-hit performances with the trio of freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA) (2-4 AB, R), senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (2-4 AB) and senior catcher
Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y) (2-4 AB, R) combining for six hits and two runs scored.
While four Knights in junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, RBI), junior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI), sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, RBI, BB) and sophomore left fielder
Brianna Call (Fishkill, N.Y.) (1-3 AB) combined for four hits, and three RBI in game one.
In the circle, Campbell
(L, 7-4 7.1 IP, 6H, 4ER, 4BB, 2K) would earn the tough loss allowing six hits, four earned runs to go with four walks and struck out two batters as she pitched in extra innings for the second time in her young career as the Penmen earned a 4-3 extra-inning walk-off win.
In extra-inning games, the Knights fall to 1-3 on the year as they left nine base runners stranded in the game one loss.
For the second straight game the Knights outhit the Penmen with a 7-6 tally led by Parascandola
(3-3 AB, R) first career three-hit performance while four other Knights in Zumpol
(1-4 AB, RBI), Campbell
(1-2 AB, 2B, BB,) Verruso
(1-3 AB) and Call
(1-2 AB) combined for four hits and RBI.
In the circle sophomore righty
Sam Voskinarian (East Northport, N.Y.) (L, 0-4 6.2 IP, 6H, 2ER, 3BB, K) would make her sixth pitching appearance of the year and her fifth start of the year. But it would be another tough loss for the Knights as the Penmen earned their second straight walk-off victory to the final score of 2-1.
With the DH loss, Queens moved to 10-13 overall on the year.
Game One Recap (QUEENS 3, SNHU 4) Extras, 8 Innings
After a scoreless first inning for both sides, the Knights would open the scoring in the top of the second as Campbell and Murphy recorded back-to-back singles. But the Penmen would record back-to-back outs not before Verruso advanced both runners into scoring position.
With runners in scoring position, a RBI single to center field from Parascandola would drive home Campbell as the Knights took an early lead of 1-0.
In the home half of the second, Campbell opened the inning with a strikeout before a walk put a runner on base. But Campbell would retire the next two batters in a row to keep the 1-0 lead intact.
In the top of the third, the Penmen opened the inning with a groundout before Pescatore reached first base on a fielding error. But back-to-back passed balls would advance the junior to third base before Baez doubled the Knights' advantage with a sac fly out in foul ball territory as Pescatore scored to put the Knights up 2-0.
The Penmen opened the home half of the third with a double to right center but Campbell would retire the next three batters in a row to end the third inning of play.
As the Penmen opened the fourth inning of play by retiring the first two batters, the Knights would load the bases behind a Verruso single, a walk to Parascandola, and a Call single. With the bases loaded and two outs, a RBI single through the left side from Zumpol put Queens up 3-0 after the completion of the top of the fourth inning.
The Penmen would get on the scoreboard in the home frame using two hits including a home run to cut the Knights' lead down to one run, 3-2 after four complete innings of play.
With their lead cut down to 3-2, Queens would leave a base runner stranded in the top of the fifth and two in the sixth before the Penmen tied the game 3-3 in the home half of the sixth.
In the top of the seventh with the game tied 3-3, Baez opened the inning with a single to left field but the Penmen would get a double play to avoid any scoring threat. As Murphy extended the inning with a single to center field, the Penmen would get the final out to end the top of the seventh.
Campbell would retire the first two batters before the Penmen would get a runner on base with a single to left field but the Knights would force extra innings by getting the final out of the seventh inning.
For the third time in four straight games, the Knights would go to extra innings to decide the outcome of the game. But as the Knights were retired in order in the top of the eighth, the Penmen would earn an one-out walk to put the winning run on base. As the Knights got the second out, the Penmen would earn the walk-off victory with a RBI single to right center as the Knights dropped the game one to the final score of 4-3.
Game Two Recap (QUEENS 1, SNHU 2)
The Knights were retired in order to begin the nightcap game. However, it would be the Penmen who opened the scoring. A single began the home half before the Knights got the first out but a RBI single to center field put the home side up 1-0 before Queens were able to get out of the inning.
With one out in the top of the second, Verruso notched her third hit of the day with a single to center field but a double play would end the inning to prevent the scoring threat.
Voskinarian worked out of a two-out single to keep the Knights' deficit at 1-0 after the completion of the second inning of play.
In the top of the third with one out, Parascandola would single to right field before the Penmen got the second out. As Parascandola stole second base and advanced to third base on a wild pitch, the Knights would tie the game 1-1 on a RBI single from Zumpol to shortstop.
With the game tied 1-1, Voskinarian would work her first clean inning in the circle as the sophomore retired the Penmen in order to end the third inning of play.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Campbell belted the Knights' first extra-base hit of the afternoon with a double to center field as Queens had a runner in scoring position. But the Penmen would leave the freshman stranded on second as they retired the next two batters in a row.
As the Penmen opened the home half of the fourth with a single, Voskinarian would get the first out as she got the next batter to pop up at second base. But a fielding error mixed with a fielder's choice out and a walk would load the bases. But the young righty would keep the game tied at 1-1 as she got the sixth batter of the inning to ground out to third base to end the inning.
As the Penmen got the first out to begin the top of the fifth, a single to right field from Parascandola and a bunt single from Call would put two runners on base as the Knights looked to break the tie open. But the home side would leave both Knights stranded to keep the game tied at 1-1.
As Voskinarian got the first out of the fifth inning, a fielding error would put a runner on base but the righty would induce a double play to Murphy as first base to end the threat.
In the top of the sixth, the Penmen would get the first out before Campbell earned a walk. However, the home side would retire the next two batters to keep the game tied at 1-1.
The home half of the sixth began with a walk before the Knights' defense got the first out but a successful sac bunt would advance the runner into scoring position. Voskinarian would induce the next batter into a grounder to Parascandola as the sophomore completed the fielder's choice out at third base to erase the runner in scoring position before the sophomore righty recorded her first strikeout of the day to end the sixth inning of play.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Parascandola recorded her first career three-hit game with a single to right field. Call would advance her classmate to second base with a sac bunt as the Knights put a runner in scoring position. But the Penmen would keep the game tied at 1-1 to end the top of the seventh inning.
Needing to keep the game tied and looking to force extra innings for the third straight game and second of the day against the Penmen, Voskinarian would get the first two batters to ground out before a double to center field kept the inning alive. But for the second time on the day, it would be a heartbreaking game two loss for the Knights as the Penmen earned their second straight walk-off victory with a RBI single to right center field to the final score of 2-1.
Next Pitch
The Knights conclude the New Hampshire trip with a non-conference doubleheader in Rindge on Thursday (Apr. 11) afternoon against the Ravens of Franklin Pierce University. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.
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