BARTOW, FL – Concluding play at THE Spring Games Thursday afternoon, the Queens College softball team faced Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Lake Erie College, earning a pair of victories to finish the trip on a high note.
The Knights defeated Edinboro, 8-5, in game one before erupting offensively in a 14-6 run-rule victory over Lake Erie to close out the week.
Game One Recap – Queens 8, Edinboro 5
Queens recorded a season-best 15 hits in the opener, with five players combining for eight RBI. Rookie first baseman
Carla Chiaramonte (Middle Village, N.Y.) led the way with a multi-hit performance and a career-best three RBI with one run scored. Senior infielder
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) added three hits and two RBI, while the rookie duo of
Kayla Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) and catcher
Brooke Waiting (Seaford, N.Y.) combined for five hits and two RBI.
In the circle rookie right-handed pitcher
Nellie Donahue (Levittown, N.Y.) (W, 5.2 IP, 5H, 4ER, 2BB, 4K) delivered a strong outing to earn her first collegiate win. Junior righty
Cheyanne Willoughby (Benalto, Alberta) (S 1, 1.1 IP, 2H, ER, K) picked up the save to secure Queens' first win of the season.
The Knights wasted little time jumping ahead, sending 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and scoring four runs on five hits. Chiaramonte drove in two with a single to left, Denino followed with an RBI single, and Waiting added another run-scoring hit to give Queens a 4-0 advantage.
Edinboro got one back in the bottom of the first, but the Knights turned a double play to end the inning and maintain control.
Queens added two more runs in the third after Denino and Waiting singled and stole bases, setting up an RBI groundout from sophomore right fielder
Brigid Hood (Wantagh, N.Y.) and an RBI single from Parascandola to extend the lead to 6-1.
After four straight scoreless innings from Donahue, Queens carried an 8-1 lead into the sixth. Edinboro rallied for three runs, prompting the call to Willoughby, who closed the door to seal the 8-5 victory.
Game Two Recap – Queens 14, Lake Erie 6 (5 innings)
In their final game, Queens tallied 12 hits, recording double-digit hits in back-to-back games, with eight Knights combining for 12 RBI. Three Knights recorded multi-RBI performances, led by Hood with a team-high three RBI, while junior
Olivia Wanser (Westbury, N.Y.) and sophomore second baseman
Mia Pineiro (North Babylon, N.Y.) combined for four RBI.
In relief, junior
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA.) (W, 3.2 IP, 3H, 2BB, 4K) shut out Lake Erie to earn her first win of the season as Queens secured its first run-rule victory of the year.
The Knights opened the scoring in the first inning as Waiting brought home junior center fielder
Sienna Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) with a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 lead.
Lake Erie responded with six runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 advantage, but Queens answered immediately with a big inning of its own. The Knights sent 14 batters to the plate, recording three hits, drawing six walks, and being hit by two pitches to score nine runs and take a 10-6 lead.
Pitching in relief, Campbell and the Queens defense continued to erase baserunners with solid fielding, while the offense added insurance runs over the final innings to complete the 14-6 run-rule victory.
Next Pitch
The Knights' home opener is set for Thursday, March 19, as they welcome the Caldwell University Cougars. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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