Ten-Run Fifth Helps Propel Softball to Victory Over John Jay

BELLEROSE, N.Y. – Powered by a 10-run fifth inning, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team overcame a 2-1 deficit after four innings to earn an 11-2 victory over John Jay College in five innings on Monday afternoon at Padavan-Preller Field.

St. Joseph's (4-10) snaps a two-game losing streak and has won four of their last six games, while John Jay (7-14) has dropped four of their last six games.

A pitcher's duel broke out early on as runs were hard to come by for either team. The first inning saw both teams draw a walk, but both were unable to score a run.

Each team plated a run in the second inning, but the pitchers would settle down and not allow a run in the third inning and the Lady Bears went down quietly in the fourth. The Bloodhounds grabbed their first and last lead of the game with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the fourth to grab a 2-1 lead after four.

The fifth inning saw the John Jay pitching and defense unravel as St. Joseph's sent 16 batters to the plate and scored an impressive 10 runs in the frame, helped by six hits and five Bloodhound errors. The Lady Bears put four runs on the board before John Jay was able to record an out. Junior Cassandra Molinari (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) tied the game up at 2-2 with her RBI single to center field that scored freshman Samantha Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney), who led off the inning with a walk.

The Lady Bears took the lead for good when freshman Kristin Ferrigno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) reached on a fielding error by the pitcher which allowed Molinari and freshman Samantha Rossi (Bayside, N.Y./Mary Louis) to score and give St. Joseph's a 4-2 lead. Even after a John Jay pitching change the Lady Bears continued to hit effectively scoring eight more runs in the inning.

Sophomore Morgan Summers (Bellerose, N.Y./St. Mary's), Simon, Ferrigno each came through with RBI singles in the frame and Rossi struck with a two-RBI double to center field to help give the Lady Bears a comfortable 11-2 lead.

St. Joseph's starter Jackie Perillo (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) used the Lady Bears big inning to her advantage as she finished off the game facing the minimum to secure the win. Perillo went the distance allowing only two runs on four hits to improve to 2-5 in the circle.

Rossi led St. Joseph's at the dish with a 2-for-4 afternoon, scoring a pair of runs and driving in two runs. Simon finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Summers concluded the day 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Other Contributors: Molinari (1-for-2, 2 R, RBI) Ferrigno (1-for-4, R, RBI)
• Defense was not a strong spot for the Bloodhounds as they committed six errors, while the Lady Bears did not commit a miscue on the day.
• St. Joseph's outhit John Jay 8-4, but left eight runners on base compared to two for the Bloodhounds.
• Eight different Lady Bears scored a run in the game.

THE LADY BEAR FACTS

• St. Joseph's improves to 7-3-1 all-time against the Bloodhounds.
• Simon now leads the team with nine runs scored on the season and is on a season-high seven-game hitting streak.
• Molinari is now on a season-high seven-game hitting streak.

NEXT UP FOR THE LADY BEARS – YORK

St. Joseph's faces York today in a doubleheader at Preller at 4 p.m.