FLUSHING, N.Y. – Returning to non-conference action, the Queens College softball team hosted Holy Family University for a Friday afternoon doubleheader at QC Softball Field.
The Knights dropped game one, 8-0, before responding with a dramatic 3-2 walk-off victory in the nightcap to earn a split. Queens was held to just one hit in the opener, but the offense bounced back with five hits in game two, highlighted by a multi-hit effort from junior
Olivia Wanser (Westbury, N.Y.), who reached base four times with two singles and two walks. While the trio of senior
Allie Parascandola (East Quogue, N.Y.) junior
Kadie Cain (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and junior
Caylea Campbell (Murrieta, CA.) combined for three hits. The rookie duo of
Kayla Denino (North Babylon, N.Y.) and
Carla Chiaramonte (Middle Village, N.Y.) drove in two runs.
Through 4.2 innings of play, rookie right-hander
Nellie Donahue (Levittown, N.Y.) limited the Tigers to one run, coming in the top of the second.
With Queens trailing 1-0 and the Tigers threatening to break the game open in the top of the fifth with runners on the corners and two outs, the Knights turned to Campbell in relief, who induced a groundout back to the circle to escape the jam.
Down to their final six outs, Queens rallied in the bottom of the sixth as Parascandola reached on a hit-by-pitch before Cain singled and stole second. With runners in scoring position, Chiaramonte tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI groundout. The Tigers would work out of trouble to keep the game tied and strand two runners.
Campbell retired the Tigers in order in the top of the seventh before leading off the inning with a single, putting the winning run on base. However, the Tigers avoided further trouble to force extra innings.
A wild pitch allowed the Tigers to take a 2-1 lead, but Campbell kept the visitors hitless in her relief outing.
The Tigers recorded the first out before Wanser drew her second walk of the contest. Rookie
Rachel Salgado (Brentwood, N.Y.) came on as a pinch runner for Wanser as the Knights had the winning run on base. Cain advanced before Cain and Salgado executed a double play, followed by Denino tying the game with an RBI that scored Cain as the Tigers were unable to record the second out of the inning.
With Salgado at third and the game tied 2-2, the Tigers recorded the second out before a liner from Campbell snuck through the shortstop, allowing Salgado to score the winning run and secure Queens a doubleheader split and its fourth victory of the season.
Next Pitch
Queens concludes the week on Saturday, April 4, as they welcome Mercy University Mavericks for an East Coast Conference doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon.
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