FLUSHING, N.Y. – Concluding their four-game East Coast Conference homestand the Queens College softball team welcomed the Mavericks of Mercy University to QC Softball Field Thursday Afternoon.
It would be a tough game one loss as a late rally fell short in the final inning of play as the Knights fell to the score of 3-1 In the second game, the Knights rallied with a four-run first inning before adding an insurance run in the fifth inning of play as Queens held off Mercy to earn an ECC doubleheader split to the final score of 5-3.
GAME ONE RECAP
In game one, the duo of junior first baseman
Allie Parascandola (East Quoque, N.Y.) (3-4 AB, R) and senior
Caroline Pescatore (North Babylon, N.Y.) (2-3 AB) recorded multi-hit performances, while the trio of sophomore utility
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA.) (1-4 AB), senior third baseman
Emma Zumpol (Patchogue, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI), and sophomore left fielder
Sienna Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) (1-3 AB) recorded a hit as they combined for eight hits, one RBI and one run scored.
The Mavericks opened the game by scoring as they held a 2-0 lead after the top of the second inning of play.
In response, the Knights would attempt a two-out rally in the home frame of the second as Pescatore and Parascandola reached base on a fielding error and hit by pitch, but the Mavericks would keep their 2-0 lead intact as they got the fifth batter of the inning to ground out to first base.
As Campbell continued to keep the Knights' deficit at two runs, it would be missed opportunities for the offense as they left base runners stranded. The visitors added a run in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Denino and Parascandola singled back to back as Queens attempted a last inning rally. The Mavericks would get second out of the frame with a fielder's choice before a RBI single from Zumpol to left center scored Parascandola. But the Mavericks would hold off the last inning rally as they were able to get the final out of the inning and earn a 3-1 victory.
GAME TWO RECAP
In the nightcap the offense tallied six hits led by senior center fielder
Amanda Baez (Selden, N.Y.) (2-3 AB, 2B, HR, 2RBI, R) and Pescatore
(2-3 AB, 2RBI) recording multi-hit games, while the duo of sophomore shortstop
Kadie Cain (Hauppauge, N.Y.) (1-3 AB, RBI, R) and senior catcher
Riley O'Connor (Maspeth, N.Y.) (1-2 AB, BB) knocked in a hit apiece as the trio of Baez, Pescatore and Cain combined for five RBI.
In the circle
Sam Voskinarian (East Northport, N.Y.) (W, 2-6, 5.2 IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, 2K) and Campbell
(S, 1, 1.1 IP, K) combined to hold the Mavericks to seven hits, three runs as Voskinarian earned her second victory of the year, while Campbell shut the door to record her first save of the year.
For the second straight game, the Mavericks opened the scoring as they took an early 1-0 using a leadoff walk before a two-out single opened the scoring.
Queens would little time in responding as Parascandola opened the home frame of the first reaching first base on a hit by pitch before advancing to second on a passed ball. As Campbell earned a walk, a fielding error would load the bases as Zumpol reached first base safely on a sac bunt.
Baez would tie the game 1-1 with a RBI grounder to first base before a RBI single to left field from Cain put Queens up 2-1.
The Knights would double their advantage as a two RBI single to right field from Pescatore scored Cain and Zumpol as the home side took a 4-1 lead.
Leading from the front, Voskinarian and her defense would hold the Mavericks at bay as they shut out the visitors over the next three innings of play.
Mercy would get a run back in the top of the fifth using a leadoff double to their advantage. With a runner on third, O'Connor would successfully pick off the runner at third base before Voskinarian induced a pop up for the third out of the inning to keep a 4-2 lead intact.
The Knights would get a run in the home frame of the fifth behind a solo shot to left field from Baez as Queens took a 5-2 lead after five complete innings of play.
In the top of the sixth, Voskinarian opened the frame with a grounder to Cain before a single combined with a fielding error put a runner in scoring position. As the junior got the second out of the inning, back-to-back hits would see the Mavericks cut the scoreline to 5-3 and put runners on the corner.
With two on, the Knights turned to Campbell for the save. The sophomore pitching in relief would get the third out of the inning with a looking strikeout to end the sixth inning of play before Campbell worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh to shut the door and earn Queens their seventh victory of the year and third in ECC play.
NEXT PITCH
The Knights conclude the week in Staten Island, N.Y. on Friday, Apr. 18 as they match up against the College of Staten Island Dolphins in an ECC doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
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