BUFFALO, N.Y. – Down to their final two East Coast Conference games of the year and needing one more victory to clinch a postseason spot, the Queens College softball team made the trip to Buffalo for Friday doubleheader against the Saints of D'Youville University at Dobson Field.
Game one would be a marathon of 12 innings as both teams combined for 17 runs, 34 hits, and seven errors. The Knights totaled 17 hits led by a career-best effort from freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA) (5-7 AB, 2 2B, 3RBI, 2R) with her first career-hit five-hit game and second career three RBI performance, while junior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y) (3-7 AB, 3B, 2R), junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (2-5 AB, 2BB), sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) (2-6 AB, 3RBI), and sophomore left fielder
Brianna Call (Fishkill, N.Y.) (2-6 AB, RBI) combined for nine hits, four RBI and two runs scored.
Lastly the trio of senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-5 AB, 3R, 2BB), senior second baseman
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (1-6 AB, R), and senior
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (1-6 AB, 2RBI) combined for three hits, two RBI and four runs scored.
In the circle, Campbell
(W, 11-9 12.0 IP, 17H, 8R, 3ER, 5BB, 7K) pitched a complete game victory with a pitch count of 157 allowing 17 hits, eight runs
(three earned), five walks and seven strikeouts to pick up her team-leading 11
th victory of the year.
In the nightcap, the Knights offense broke out the bat again recording 10 hits led by Fracchioni's
(3-3 AB, RBI, BB) three-hit performance, while the duo of Baez
(2-3 AB, 2B, 3R, BB) and Campbell
(2-4 AB, 2RBI, R) combined for four hits, two RBI, and four runs scored.
Lastly, the trio of Zumpol
(1-5 AB), Murphy
(1-3 AB, 3B, RBI, R, BB), and senior second baseman
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, RBI) combined for three hits, two RBI and a run scored as Queens total five runs.
In the circle, Fracchioni
(W, 6-9 7.0 IP, 2H, ER, 3BB, 4K) fired a two-hitter allowing one earned run to go with four strikeouts as Queens earned a 5-1 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep.
With the doubleheader sweep, the Knights improved 17-25 overall, and 10-10 in ECC play as they picked up their first DH sweep in Buffalo and officially clinched the third seed to the upcoming ECC Postseason tournament.
GAME ONE RECAP (QUEENS 9, D'YOUVILLE 8) EXTRA – 12 INNINGS
The Knights wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as they scored four runs on four hits and a fielding error to their advantage.
As the Saints got the first out, Baez ripped a triple to right field before Murphy earned a walk. With runners on the corner, a RBI single to center field from Campbell put the Knights up 1-0 before a single to left field from Wilkinson loaded the bases. Next batter Fracchioni would get hit by pitch to bring in the second run before Parascandola and Call drove in the next two runs as Queens took a 4-0 lead.
But the Saints wasted little time in responding as they used four hits and a fielding error to cut their deficit down to 4-3.
Having their lead cut down to one run, the Knights responded once again using four hits led by RBI from Campbell, Fracchioni, and Parascandola as Queens took a 7-3 lead.
However, the home side would start to cut into the deficit with a run in the bottom of the third and two runs in the bottom of the fourth as the Knights' lead was brought down 7-6 after four complete innings of play.
As Queens continued to leave base runners, the Saints used a fielding error to their advantage to take an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Trailing for the first time, Campbell began the top of the sixth with a double to left field before Fracchioni tied the game with a RBI single to center field.
With the game tied at 8-8, Campbell and her defense would continue to strand D'Youville runners on base as Queens searched for the winning run.
The Saints threatened to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh with two out as they used a single and walk but the rookie would leave the winning stranded on third as she got the third out to force extra innings.
In extra innings, Campbell would continue to shut out the Saints despite running into base runners in scoring position.
After the rookie retired the Saints in order, Murphy began the top of the seventh earning a walk before Campbell notched her first five-hitter of her young career and team-leading 15
th double with a shot to right-center as Murphy rounded the bases to take a 9-8 lead.
Campbell began the bottom of the 12
th retiring the first batter with a grounder straight back to her before she got the next batter to line out to right field. But as they had done all game, the Saints attempted a two-out rally as they put a runner on second a double to right center. However, the next batter would lace a single to right field before a quick throw from right field would catch the tying run but most importantly the third out at home plate as Queens clinched a 12-inning 9-8 victory.
The 12 innings are the most played in a single game since April 22, 2018, when Queens defeated St. Thomas Aquinas 1-0 in 11 innings. Campbell's 12 innings pitched in a single game are the most since ToniMarie Valeriano pitched against STC in the 11 innings victory.
GAME TWO RECAP (QUEENS 5, D'YOUVILLE 1)
The nightcap would be a simple seven-inning affair led by Fracchioni's another career-best performance in the circle in back-to-back outings.
Queens' offense responded first for an early lead as they notched five hits in the first inning of play. With one out, Baez tallied a double to left field before a RBI triple to right center from Murphy gave Queens a 1-0 lead. The Knights would double the advantage as Campbell put the visitors up 2-0 with a RBI single to center field.
A single from Fracchioni and hit by pitch to Parascandola would load the bases before the Saints got the second out. But O'Connor would put the Knights up 3-0 with a RBI single to center field after the completion of the top of the first inning.
The Knights would take a 4-0 lead as Queens used two walks in the top of the second to their advantage before Campbell recorded her fifth RBI of the day with a single to center field to score Baez.
Fracchioni would keep the Saints off the scoreboard through the first two innings of play before the home side was able to get a run across taking advantage of a fielding error.
Queens added an insurance run in the top of the sixth with Fracchioni helping her own cause as the Knights took a commanding lead of 5-1.
The hit in the bottom of the third inning would be the last hit the senior righty would allow before the Westbury native would go on to pitch four straight shutout innings allowing just three base runners on walks as Queens completed their first sweep in Buffalo to the final score of 5-1 and earned their 17
th victory of the year.
Next Pitch
The Knights now await to see where their next pitch will take as the #1 seed is still up for grabs between Molloy University and St. Thomas Aquinas College tied for first place. More details will follow early next week.
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