Softball Splits With USCAA Rival Briarcliffe on Senior Day

Senior Day Game Program

BELLEROSE, N.Y. - In a matchup with potential United States Collegiate Athletic Association tournament implications, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team (18-14) split a doubleheader with Briarcliffe College this Sunday on Senior Day honoring seniors Cassandra Molinari (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep), Jackie Perillo (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) and Shannon Rom (Breezy Point, N.Y./Bishop Kearney).

Despite suffering a sweep at the hands of the Bulldogs on April 11, both teams entered the day separated by one spot on the USCAA Coaches Poll and the No. 8 Lady Bears enacted some revenge with an 8-3 victory in the opener. But the No. 7 Bulldogs would come back to take game two and the season series, 13-6.

Briarcliffe struck early in game one. A pair of RBI doubles from freshman Emily Gaeta and senior Raina Bunai made it 2-0 after the top of the first.

Using a pair of leadoff walks, a sacrifice bunt and Jackie Perillo's RBI groundout, the Lady Bears manufactured one run in the bottom half of the inning to slice their early deficit in half.

The Bulldogs tacked on one more in the third inning to move up 3-1, but St. Joseph's rallied in the bottom of the fourth to even the score. Sophomore Kristin Ferrigno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) provided the game-tying swing, a two-out RBI single to right center that brought freshman Destiny Marino (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) home.

Following starter Jamilynn McGowan's (Staten Island, N.Y./Michael J. Petrides) 1-2-3 fifth, freshman Maria Gentile (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall) provided the go-ahead two-RBI double to give St. Joseph's their first advantage.

The Lady Bears added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and McGowan shut the door on the Bulldogs in the seventh. The sophomore, now 8-7, kept Briarcliffe scoreless in the final five innings to help setup the comeback.

The Bulldogs opened scoring in game two as well, erupting for a five-spot in the first inning. Senior Vikki Castillo highlighted the five-hit inning with a run-scoring triple to get Briarcliffe on the board.

The Bulldogs piled on four more runs in the third to further distance themselves. Castillo paced the way again with another triple, this time plating two.

Trailing 11-0, the Lady Bears finally found some success with the bats in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Samantha Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) broke the shutout with a run-scoring single and Perillo's ensuing bases-loaded knock plated three more following a defensive miscue.

Despite rallying for two more in the sixth, the early hole would be too much to overcome for St. Joseph's, who would settle for the split against their USCAA rivals. Freshman Theresa Armano (Middle Village, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) dropped to 9-7 on the season with the loss.

The Lady Bears return to action on Monday, April 27 meeting The College of New Rochelle at Padavan-Preller Field for a doubleheader in a game that was orginally scheduled for Tuesday. First pitch is at 4 p.m. with live stats at SJCBears.com.