GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Having returned from the Sunshine State, the Queens College softball team continued their non-conference play with a local trip to Garden City as they matched up against the Panthers of Adelphi University at Janet L. Ficke Field for a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader.
In the opener, Queens took a 1-0 lead behind senior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) sac fly but the Panthers would score eight unanswered runs to take an 8-1 victory over the Knights.
In the nightcap, the Knights trailing 1-0 would tie the game 1-1 behind Baez's second RBI of the day but the Panthers would earn a walk-off victory over Queens to the final score of 2-1 to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Game One Recap
The Knights got off a quick start as sophomore left fielder
Sienna Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) earned a walk before junior first baseman
Allie Parascandola (East Quoque, N.Y.) got hit by pitch to give the visitors two runners on and no outs.
A sac bunt from senior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-2 AB) would advance both runners into scoring position before Baez
(1-2 AB, RBI) put Queens up 1-0 with a sac fly out to right field as Denino scored.
But the Panthers would erupt for eight unanswered runs scoring in the second, third, and fourth to take an 8-1 lead after four complete innings of play.
But the Knights would be held to two hits as they dropped the opener to the score of 8-1.
Game Two Recap
In the nightcap, it would be a pitcher's duel with sophomore utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA.) leading the way in the circle.
With two outs in the home frame of the second, a single through the left side would give the Panthers a runner on base before a dropped fly ball saw Adelphi take a 1-0 lead.
With Campbell
(1-3 AB, 3B, R) continuing to hold the Panthers offense at bay, the sophomore opened the top of the fourth reaching first on a fielding error before a sac bunt from Zumpol advanced Campbell to second.
The Panthers would get the second out before sophomore shortstop
Kadie Cain (Hauppauge, N.Y.) (1-2 AB) advanced Campbell to third with a single through the left side as Queens threatened to tie the game.
But the Panthers would leave both runners stranded as they got the final out of the inning.
With Campbell having retired eight straight batters since the bottom of the second inning, a walk with one out in the bottom of the fifth would break the streak but the righty would be unfazed as she retired the next two batters to keep the runner stranded on first.
Adelphi would get the first out to open the top of the sixth before Campbell blasted a triple to right center as the Knights had the tying run just 60 feet away. As Zumpol earned a walk, Baez
(1-3 AB, RBI) would tie the game 1-1 with a RBI single through the left side.
Cain would earn a five-pitch walk as Queens loaded the bases and with only one out, the Knights threatened to break the game open but the Panthers' defense would work out of trouble as they induced a double play to end the top of the sixth and keep the game tied at 1-1.
As Campbell worked out of a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth to keep the game tied, the Knights looked for the winning run in the top of the seventh.
With one out, senior catcher
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-3 AB) extended the inning with a single through the right side but once again the Panthers' defense worked out of trouble before they were able to earn a 2-1 victory in the bottom of the seventh to complete the Tuesday afternoon sweep.
NEXT PITCH
After spending the first 12 games away from home, the Knights host their first doubleheader of the year on Saturday, Mar. 22 as they welcome D'Youville University Saints to town in East Coast Conference play. The first pitch is set for noon.
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