FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening a six-game weekend homestand the Queens College softball team welcomed the Dolphins of College of Staten Island to QC Softball Field in an East Coast Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon.
In game one, the Knights notched seven hits led by multi-hit performances from junior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y) (2-3 AB), and senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, RBI) combined for four hits, and a RBI, while the trio of junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, 2B, R), freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA) (1-2 AB, 2B, BB) and senior
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (1-3 AB) combined for three hits and a run scored.
In the circle, Campbell
(W, 9-7 8.0 IP, 5H, 6K) earned her first career shutout victory with a career-high eight innings pitched allowing five hits to go with six strikeouts as Queens earned a crucial walk-off 1-0 victory in the bottom of the eighth inning.
While in game two the Knights offense recorded nine hits with the trio of Zumpol
(2-3 AB, R, BB), Campbell
(2-4 AB, RBI, R), and sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, RBI) combined for six hits, two RBI and two runs scored. While the trio of Murphy
(1-4 AB, R), Fracchioni
(1-3 AB, RBI), and senior catcher
Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y) (1-3 AB) combined for three hits and a run scored.
In the circle, Fracchioni
(L, 3-7 6.0 IP, 10H, 6R, 5ER, 3BB, 2K) would be tagged with the tough loss as the Dolphins rallied in the top of the seventh with six runs to earn the Friday afternoon ECC split.
With the DH split, the Knights moved to 12-20 overall, and 6-6 in ECC play as Queens earned a 2-2 series split against the Dolphins.
GAME ONE RECAP (QUEENS 1, CSI 0)
Game one would be a pitcher's duel with neither starter giving an inch despite facing runners on base over the course of the game.
The Dolphins opened the game with back-to-back singles before Campbell induced a 6-3 double play for quick two outs before getting the fourth batter to ground out to Parascandola to end the top of the first.
With one out in the home half of the first, Baez single to left field before the Dolphins turned a double play of their own to keep the game scoreless.
As Campbell retired the Dolphins in order in the top of the second, the rookie earned a six-pitch walk before the Dolphins got the first out. As Fracchioni singled up the middle to advance Campbell to second, the visitors would get the second out. But as Parascandola battled to earn a walk to load the bases, the Dolphins would avoid damage to keep the game scoreless.
For the second straight inning, Campbell would retire the Dolphins in order in the top of the third to bring the Knights top of the lineup up to bat. Zumpol would keep her at-bat alive for six pitches before getting hit by the seventh pitch to give the Knights a base runner. But the Dolphins would get back-to-back fielder's choice outs before a double to right center from Campbell had the Knights with runners in scoring position for the second straight inning. But the Dolphins once again matched Campbell's effort to keep the game scoreless.
Campbell would retire the first two batters to open the top of the fourth before a two-out single extended the inning but the rookie would be unfazed as she induced a grounder straight back to her to end the inning.
The rookie kept the Dolphins off the bases in the fifth and sixth inning of play including striking out the side in the fifth.
But for every runner the Knights would get on base, the Dolphins continued to keep the game deadlocked at zero.
The Dolphins would threaten in the top of the seventh as they looked to take advantage of a fielding error and a single to right field with one out. But Campbell would stick to the task as she got the next two batters to pop to Parascandola and Zumpol to give the Knights an opportunity to earn a walk-off victory.
But the Knights would be retired in order as Queens went into extra innings for the fifth time on the year. Campbell struck out the first two batters before a single to right field extended the inning, but the rookie would keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard as she got the fourth batter to ground out to Parascandola to end the inning.
With the top of the lineup coming Zumpol opened the inning with a double to center field before Baez delivered with a bunt single to give the Knights runners on the corner with no out. With no out, Murphy starring at a 0-2 count laced the third pitch of her bat for a RBI single to center field as Queens earned a 1-0 shutout victory.
With the extra-inning victory, the Knights ended a three-game losing streak in extra inning to improve to 2-3 on the year.
GAME TWO RECAP (QUEENS 4, CSI 7)
As Fracchioni worked out of a leadoff walk to begin the top of the first, Queens wasted no time in opening the scoring in the home half.
Zumpol began the inning with a single up the middle before Baez reached on a fielding error and a Murphy single to right field loaded the bases. With no outs, Campbell delivered with a RBI single as Queens took a 1-0 lead before a RBI single from Fracchioni doubled the Knights' advantage to 2-0.
As the Dolphins got the first out, Parascandola put the Knights up 3-0 with a RBI single to left field before senior
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) gave Queens a 4-0 lead following the conclusion of the first inning of play.
In the circle, Fracchioni would continue to keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard while the Knights searched for more runs.
However, the Dolphins would finally get on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth with a run to cut Queens' lead down to 4-1.
But the Dolphins would finally get to the senior righty with five straight hits to take a 7-4 lead before shutting down the Knights in the bottom of the seventh to earn a Friday DH split.
Next Pitch
The Knights continue the homestand with a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 20) afternoon as they welcome the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University to town. First pitch is set for noon.
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