ORANGEBURG, N.Y. – Opening the week in non-conference play, the Queens College softball team traveled to Orangeburg to take on the Dominican University of New York Chargers at DUNY Softball Field.
Powered by dominant pitching performances from rookie righty
Nellie Donahue (Levittown, N.Y.) and junior righty
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA.), the Knights completed a doubleheader sweep, rallying for a 4-2 win in game one before closing out the day with a 3-0 shutout in the nightcap.
With the wins, Queens improves its season total with its sixth and seventh victories of the year.
Game One Recap – Queens 4, Dominican 2
Queens struck first in the top of the opening inning as senior
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) reached after being hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Knights an early 1-0 lead.
In the circle, Donahue worked out of early trouble, stranding two runners in the first before settling in with a dominant stretch. The rookie retired the side in order in the second with three strikeouts and extended her streak to five consecutive strikeouts into the third inning.
Dominican responded in the bottom of the third, using a single and a Queens error to take a 2-1 lead. However, Donahue continued to escape jams, striking out the side in the fourth and working around additional traffic in the fifth to keep the deficit at one.
With their rookie putting together a gem and the Knights trailing 2-1, Queens would rally in the top of the sixth.
Queens mounted its comeback in the top of the sixth. After loading the bases, the Knights found themselves with two outs before junior
Olivia Wanser (Westbury, N.Y.) delivered the decisive blow, crushing her eighth home run of the season to put Queens ahead 4-2.
With the lead in hand, Donahue closed out the game in dominant fashion, striking out five over the final two innings, including another strikeout-the-side performance in the seventh.
Donahue earned her fourth win of the season, allowing seven hits and one earned run while striking out a career-high 15 batters. Her 15 strikeouts mark the highest total by a Queens pitcher since Monique Roberge recorded 17 against Mercy on March 29, 2015. Donahue's 15-strikeout performance marks the second-highest total by a freshman pitcher in Division II this season.
Game Two Recap – Queens 3, Dominican 0
Game two saw Campbell pick up right where Donahue left off, delivering a dominant performance in the circle
As Campbell retired the Chargers in order in the first, Queens would open the scoring in the top of the second.
Sophomore
Brigid Hood (Wantagh, N.Y.) sparked the offense with a leadoff triple down the right field line and later scored on a Dominican fielding error to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
The Knights added to their advantage as junior
Sienna Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) singled before Parascandola drove her in with an RBI single. Campbell then helped her own cause with an RBI fielder's choice, extending the lead to 3-0.
With run support behind her, Campbell was in complete control. The junior allowed just three baserunners over the final six innings while racking up a season-high 11 strikeouts to earn her third win of the year. She accounted for 17 of the game's 21 outs and secured her fourth career shutout, and first of the season, as Queens completed the sweep with a 3-0 victory.
Next Pitch
Queens returns home on Thursday, April 16, when they host the Thomas Jefferson University Rams at QC Softball Field for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics),
X (@QCKnights), Queens College Softball (@qcsoftball), and Instagram (qcknightsny), qcsoftball (@qcsoftball)
