FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Queens College softball team wrapped up a four-game homestand on Sunday afternoon as the Knights welcomed the Golden Falcons of Felician University to Flushing in a non-conference doubleheader.
Trialing 6-3 after the third inning of play, the offense would combine for five runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth before the Knights held off the Golden Falcons' rally to earn a game one victory to the final score of 8-7. The Knights offense combined for seven hits and eight RBI led by multi-hit games from senior second baseman
Alyssa Wilkinson (Bayside, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 2R), and junior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, RBI, 2R), while the trio of junior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, BB, R), junior right-fielder
Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, BB, R) and senior first basemen
Jenny Murphy (East Islip, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, R ) combined for seven hits, four RBI, and five runs scored.
While the trio of sophomore shortstop
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) (2RBI, 2BB), freshman utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA), and senior catcher
Kristina Verruso (Whitestone, N.Y) combined for four RBI on the afternoon.
In the circle, Campbell
(W, 7-3 7.0 IP, 8H, 7R (2 earned), 3BB, 8K) would earn her team-leading seventh victory of the year with a complete game outing.
While in the nightcap the offense tallied nine hits led by Verruso's
(2-3 AB, HR, 4RBI, 2R) career day at the plate, with the duo of Baez
(2-3 AB, 2RBI, 2R, BB) and Murphy
(2-4 AB, BB, R) combining for six hits, six RBI, and five runs scored
While four Knights Campbell
(1-5 AB, 2RBI), Zumpol
(1-5 AB), Pescatore
(1-3 AB, R), and Wilkinson
(RBI, BB) combined for three hits, three RBI, and a run scored as Queens fell in extra innings to the score of 10-9.
But for the second straight day senior righty
Arianna Fracchioni (Westbury, N.Y.) (L, 3-4 9.0 IP, 14H, 10R (4 earned), 2BB, 2) would put in a career-high innings pitched as she put notched nine innings of work however the senior would be tagged for the loss as the Golden Falcons rallied to earn the afternoon split.
With the DH split, Queens improved to 10-11 overall on the year.
Game One Recap (QUEENS 8, FELICIAN 7)
The Golden Falcons would apply the pressure in the first inning of play on rookie Campbell as they took advantage of two fielding errors to take a 3-0 lead following the conclusion of the top of the first.
But the Knights would waste no time responding they used three walks to open the home half of the first to load the bases. With the bases loaded Campbell would bring in the first run of the inning with a RBI grounder to first base before Murphy delivered with a sac fly out to center field as Queens cut their deficit down to 3-2.
A RBI single from Baez would tie the game 3-3 for Queens as the home side used three walks to their advantage.
But two more fielding errors would hurt the Knights as the visitors took a 4-3 lead in the top of the second before using two hits in the top of the third to take a 6-3 lead.
Trailing 6-3, Baez opened the fourth with a single down the left field line before a single from Wilkinson and hit by pitch to Verruso loaded the bases. With no outs, Parascandola would bring the Knights within two, 6-4 with a sac fly out to right field. But as the Golden Falcons got the second out, a RBI single up the middle from Pescatore would get the Knights within one 6-5 following the conclusion of the fourth inning of play.
As Campbell retired the Golden Falcons in order in the top of the fifth, Queens would rally in the home half of the fifth. With one out, Murphy began the rally with a single up the middle before Baez got hit by pitch, and a single from Wilkinson loaded the bases.
With one out, Verruso would get hit by pitch as Queens tied the game bringing home Murphy before Parascandola worked a five-pitch RBI walk to plate home Baez as Queens took a 7-6 lead. Next batter Zumpol would put the Knights up 8-6 with a RBI single to third base before the visitors were able to get out of the inning with back-to-back outs.
Felician would threaten in the top of the sixth as they opened the inning with a single but an alert Verruso would catch the base runner stealing second as the Knights got the first out.
But as Campbell recorded her eighth strikeout of the day, the Golden Falcons would extend the inning with a double to right center before the visitors stole second base and scored a throwing error to cut Queens' advantage down to 8-7.
As Felician got a two-out walk and put the tying run on first base, Campbell would end the inning getting the fifth batter of the inning to ground out to Murphy at first base to keep the 8-7 lead intact.
But as the Knights were retired in order in the home half of the sixth, Campbell would shut out the Golden Falcons in the top of the seventh as she retired the side in order to earn her seventh victory of the year as Queens took game one to the final score of 8-7.
Game Two Recap (QUEENS 9, FELICIAN 10) Extras, 9 Inns
It would be a quiet start to the nightcap as both sides were held off the scoreboard through the first two innings of play.
In the top of the third, a fielding error mixed in with three hits would see the visitors take a 2-0 lead before Queens responded in the home frame.
The Knights opened the inning with Verruso and Parascandola both getting hit by pitches before the visitors got the first out. But as a Pescatore single up the middle loaded the bases, Felician would get the second out as they looked to leave all three Knights stranded on base.
But Campbell would have other ideas as the rookie laced her first pitch to left center to tie the game 2-2 as Verruso and Parascandola scored.
But three straight walks to Murphy, Wilkinson, and Baez would put the Knights 4-2 as Queens successfully batted around in the inning.
Leading 4-2 Fracchioni would retire the Golden Falcons in order in the top of the fourth before the visitors used a fielding error to cut Queens' lead down to 4-3 after the completion of the top of the fifth inning.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Murphy would double to left center before advancing to third base on the second out of the inning. Baez would put the Knights up 5-3 with a RBI single to left field before Verruso extended the Knights advantage with a RBI single to right center field as Baez scored but the Golden Falcons would get Verruso out at second to end the inning.
Having extended their lead 6-3, the Golden Falcons would threaten in the top of the sixth but Fracchioni would work out of the bases-loaded jam to keep the home side lead intact.
But as the Knights left an insurance run stranded on second base in the home half of the sixth, the Golden Falcons rallied in the top of the seventh with two outs to tie the game at 6-6.
In a position to walk it off, the Golden Falcons retired the first batter before Murphy reached first base on a single but the visitors would induce a double play to send the game into extra innings.
For the second straight day, the Knights would go into extra innings to decide the outcome of the game.
With the extra innings non-conference rule to place a runner on second base to start the inning, the Golden Falcons would take a 9-6 lead using two hits and a fielding error to their advantage.
Needing to mount a comeback, Baez singled to third base as Queens brought the tying run to the plate.
Verruso starting a 3-2 count would tie the game with her first career home run with a three-run blast to right center field as the Knights wasted little time in responding.
But the Golden Falcons would retire the next three batters in a row to keep the game going.
However, the Golden Falcons would score the game-winning run on a sac fly for a 10-9 lead, while the Knights were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth as Queens would have to settle for a non-conference split with the game two loss to the final score of 10-9.
Next Pitch
The Knights open a four-game road stand beginning on Wednesday (Apr. 10) afternoon as they travel to Manchester, NH with a non-conference battle against the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire University. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
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