Softball Crowned HVIAC Tournament Champions

Softball Crowned HVIAC Tournament Champions

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team captured the 2014 Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) Tournament title defeating The College of New Rochelle, 18-0, in the semifinals and Yeshiva University, 14-1, in the championship on Sunday afternoon at Mary Levine Field.

Junior Jackie Perillo (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) earned Tournament MVP honors going 3-for-4 at the dish with a home run, six runs scored and three RBI, while tossing a complete game four-hitter in the championship game versus the Maccabees.

St. Joseph's (15-15) wins their sixth straight conference title, has now won a season-high six games in a row and improves to .500 for the first time all season.

In the semifinals vs. New Rochelle (0-26), freshman Jamilynn McGowan (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides) threw a complete game two-hitter finishing with eight strikeouts to help pace the Lady Bears. St. Joseph's jumped out to an early 8-0 lead after one as they used nine hits and four Blue Angel errors to put the game out of reach. Junior Cassandra Molinari (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) highlighted the inning with an RBI double to left center and an RBI single down the left field line later in the frame.

The Lady Bears poured on more runs in the second with Perillo nailing a three-run jack over the left field fence and junior Shannon Rom (Breezy Point, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) followed that up with a pinch-hit homer to left center to cap off a six-run second that put St. Joseph's up 14-0.

Molinari became the 12th Lady Bear in school history to accumulate 100 hits as she cranked a two-run dinger to left center to achieve the milestone in style. Freshman Geena Campisi (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) joined the home run parade with a two-run homer to left that capped off the scoring for St. Joseph's.

In the championship game vs. Yeshiva (6-7), the Lady Bears once again got off to a quick start with nine runs in the first inning. The biggest blow of the inning came off the bat of freshman Samantha Rossi (Bayside, N.Y./Mary Louis) who crushed her second home run of the season, a three-run shot, to cap off the inning and put the game out of reach.

St. Joseph's tacked on three runs in the second and two in the third to build a 14-1 lead after three and Perillo would put together two scoreless innings to secure the title for the Lady Bears.

Molinari ended the day 4-for-7 with her first home run of the season, five RBI and four runs scored, while McGowan finished a perfect 5-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. Rossi concluded the day 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored and freshman Samantha Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) capped off the day going 4-for-5 with five runs and two RBI. Sophomore Maria Randazzo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall) went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored and Rom contributed a 1-for-3 day with her first career homer, three RBI and a run scored.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORES

  • Other Contributors: Campisi (1-for-2, 1st Career HR, 3 R, 2 RBI) Christina Quintana (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI)
  • The Lady Bears pounded out 21 hits and used six New Rochelle errors to open up the semifinal matchup.
  • St. Joseph's managed just eight hits in the championship game, but were aided by ten Yeshiva walks and three errors.
  • Of the 32 runs the Lady Bears scored only 21 were earned.

THE LADY BEAR FACTS

  • In ceremonies after the tournament, Cassandra Molinari, Samantha Simon, Samantha Rossi and Kristin Ferrigno were all named to the 2014 HVIAC All-Conference Team.
  • St. Joseph's wins their eighth conference title overall and is now a perfect 30-0 against New Rochelle and 2-0 versus Yeshiva in the all-time series.
  • Molinari reaches the 100-hit mark in 99 career games.
  • McGowan improved to 7-8 in the circle with the semifinal win, while Perillo moved to 8-7 with the title game win.
  • The Lady Bears match their win total from a year ago.
  • The four home runs in the semifinals ties the school record set against Albertus Magnus on May 5, 2012.
  • Perillo takes home MVP honors for the second year in a row and the 14-1 final score is the identical score of last year's championship win vs. Sarah Lawrence.
  • St. Joseph's has now won 41 straight regular season and tournament contests against conference opponents since 2008.