FLUSHING, N.Y. – April showers shifted an eight-game homestand for the Queens College softball team into a four-game week as the Knights returned to action Saturday afternoon welcoming the Saints of D'Youville University to Flushing.
Trialing 3-2 after the conclusion of the top of the fifth inning, the offense would erupt for seven runs as the Knights earned a game one victory to the score of 9-4. Led by junior right-fielder
Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, RBI, 2R) fourth multi-hit game, while the duo of senior righty
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (2-4 AB, 2RBI) and senior second baseman
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 2B) chipped in with multi-hits as the trio combined for seven hits, three RBI and two runs scored.
While
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (1-4 AB, 2B, 2RBI, R), freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA) (1-3 AB, 2B, RBI, R, BB), senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, HR, 2RBI, R) and sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, R) combined for four hits, five RBI and four runs scored.
In the circle, Campbell
(W, 6-3 7.0 IP, 7H, 4R, 2ER, 3BB, 4K) held the Saints to seven hits, four runs
(two earned), three walks, and four strikeouts to earn the complete game victory and earn her team-leading sixth victory of the year.
While in the nightcap, it would be a pitcher duel as the Knights were limited to four hits as they were led by Campbell
(1-3 AB), Murphy
(1-3 AB), senior catcher
Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y) (1-3 AB) and senior
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-2 AB) recording the lone hits in game two.
In the circle, Fracchioni
(L, 3-3 8.0 IP, 7H, ER, BB, 5K) kept her side in the game pitching a career-high eight innings of work to go with five strikeouts
(career-high) as she continued to work around Saints on the bases but it would be a heartbreaking game two loss as the Saints scored the lone run of the game in extra innings to earn the 1-0 victory over Queens.
With the DH split, Queens improved to 9-10 overall, and 4-2 in ECC play.
Game One Recap (QUEENS 9, D'YOUVILLE 4)
As Campbell worked around a base runner in the first two innings of play, Queens would open the scoring in the home half of the second. With one out, Fracchioni singled up the middle before an offense change brought in sophomore
Brianna Call (Fishkill, N.Y.) as a pinch runner. Wilkinson would advance Call to third base on a double to left field before Call scored on a wild pitch to give Queens a 1-0 lead.
The Saints would quickly respond in the top of the third with two singles to tie the game but a diving catch from Baez would get the Knights out of trouble as the defense turned a double play to end the inning.
As Campbell retired in the Saints in order in the top of the fourth, Murphy's third home run of the year would put Queens up 2-1 as the senior blasted a solo shot to center field.
Leading 2-1, the Saints would capitalize on two fielding errors to take a 3-2 lead following the conclusion of the top of the fifth inning.
Trailing for the first time on the day, the Knights wasted no time in responding in the home half of the fifth. Parascandola opened the inning with a bunt single before junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) got hit by a pitch to give the Knights two base runners with no outs. Queens would tie the game on a single RBI to right center from Pescatore as Parascandola scored from second.
With runners on the corner Baez would deliver with a two-RBI double to left center field as Queens regained the lead to the score of 5-3.
As Campbell worked a six-pitch walk, the Saints would get the first out before Baez and Campbell stole third and second base. With runners in scoring position Fracchioni would put the Knights up 7-3 with a two-RBI single to left center field.
Having regained the lead Campbell would be tested in the top of the sixth as the Saints attempted to apply pressure on the rookie. The rookie would get the first out with a grounder to Zumpol before a single up the middle and a walk gave the visitors base runners on first and second.
But the rookie would stick to the task to leave both runners stranded on base with back-to-back outs to end the sixth and keep the 7-3 lead intact.
Queens would add two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as a RBI double from Campbell and a sac fly RBI from Murphy put the Knights up 9-3.
Leading by six, 9-3, Campbell opened the final inning of the game with a strikeout before a single kept the Saints comeback rally alive. But the rookie would get her second strikeout of the inning before a walk and RBI single saw the visitor cut the scoreline down to 9-4. With runners on second and first base and two outs, Campbell would induce the seventh batter of the inning to line out to Parascandola as Queens earned a game one victory of 9-4 and picked up their fourth ECC victory of the year.
Game Two Recap (QUEENS 0, D'YOUVILLE 1) (Extra Inns)
Game two would be a pitcher duel as both sides combined for 11 hits and left 12 runners on base.
Both sides would be retired in order to open the nightcap but the Saints recorded the hit of the game in the top of the second before the senior righty Fracchioni retired the next three batters in a row to keep the game scoreless.
Campbell opened the home half of the second with a single up the middle before Call was brought on a pinch runner. As the sophomore stole second base and advanced to third base on a wild pitch, the Saints would keep Call stranded on third as the visitors retired the next three batters in a row.
Both sides would continue to put base runners on but each time the defense would emerge victorious keeping the game knotted at zero.
The Saints opened the top of the seventh with a double down the left field line and a bunt single to put runners on the corner.
Fracchioni would retire the next batter as she induced a grounder back to her before a grounder to Murphy would get the second out as Queens went for a fielder's choice out at home plate to keep the game scoreless.
The senior would end the top of the seventh with a strikeout to end the inning as Queens now looked for the walk-off run.
However, the Knights would be retired in order before the Saints scored the lone run of the game in the top of the eight to take a 1-0 lead.
Needing to respond, the Saints would get the first out before Parascandola got hit by a pitch to give the Knights a base runner. As the visitors got the second out, freshman
Sienna Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) earning her first career start would battle to keep her at-bat live for seven pitches to keep the inning going but an outside corner pitch would be called for the third strike as the Saints got the final out giving the Knights a heartbreaking game two loss to the score of 1-0 as Queens were forced to settle for a DH split.
Next Pitch
The Knights conclude the homestand on Sunday (Apr. 7) afternoon in a non-conference tilt against the visiting Golden Falcons of Felician University. First pitch is set for noon.
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