Softball Controls Lehman at Home, Rolling to Third Straight Doubleheader Sweep

BELLEROSE, N.Y. - The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team (15-11) continued to roll with a doubleheader sweep over Lehman College (8-13) on Sunday afternoon, cruising 10-2 and 14-1 to extend their winning streak to seven games and improve their home record to 11-1.

In the opener, the Lady Bears manufactured four runs in the first, making the most of three walks, two errors and a pair of hits. Sophomore Samantha Rossi (Bayside, N.Y./Mary Louis) capped the rally with an RBI single to center.

Lehman fought back in the third, stringing together a two-out rally to cut their deficit in half. Sophomore Linda Resto got things started with a triple to left field and junior Chariny Graciano made it 4-2 with an RBI single up the middle.

St. Joseph's played small ball in the third inning to get one run back. Following a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt, freshman Stephanie Rancel (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) powered a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Destiny Marino (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) tacked on another insurance run with a run scoring single.

With Theresa Armano (Middle Village, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) in control in the circle, the Lady Bears took advantage of three defensive miscues in the bottom of the fifth to push four more runs across and enact the eight-run rule.

Armano held the Lightning scoreless in every inning but the third, winning her fourth consecutive game to improve to 8-5. The freshman fanned three in five innings, surrendering no earned runs in her ninth complete game of the season.

Like game one, the Lady Bears put up a four spot in the first inning of game two. Senior Cassandra Molinari (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) got St. Joseph's on the board with a two-RBI double down the left-field line. Rossi then laced a triple to right, brining Molinari home. Junior Kristen Candelaria (Jamaica, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) culminated the rally with a bases loaded walk.

St. Joseph's, helped by seven walks, erupted for nine more runs in the second to break the game wide open. Rossi highlighted the outburst with a two-RBI triple to right center. Molinari also came through with her second two-RBI double of the day.

Jamilynn McGowan (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides) coasted to her third consecutive victory in the circle, evening her record at 6-6. The sophomore allowed just one earned run and three hits in five innings of work.

Rossi and Molinari led the offensive charge, each finishing with a team-high four RBI on the day. Rossi went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, while Molinari finished 3-for-5.

On Thursday, St. Joseph's will meet another CUNYAC foe in Brooklyn College for a road doubleheader. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.