Molinari, Rossi, Ferrigno and Gentile Named to All-HVIAC Softball Team
BROOKLYN, N.Y.—After leading the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team to their seventh straight Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title, Cassandra Molinari, Samantha Rossi, Kristin Ferrigno and Maria Gentile were named to the 2015 All-HVIAC Softball Team.
The quadruple led the Lady Bears (22-16) to their first 20-win season and berth in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships since 2012.
Molinari, a senior catcher/second baseman, is the top run producer for the Lady Bears, leading the team and the conference with 27 runs batted in and scoring 25 times. The St. Edmund Prep product is batting .311 with six doubles and compiled nine multi-hit games highlighted by a 2-for-3 effort with four RBI vs. Lehman.
Rossi, a sophomore outfielder, trails Molinari tied for second on the team with 26 RBI and 24 runs scored. A one-time Player of the Week, the Mary Louis Academy product, currently bats .362 with five doubles and two triples and seven stolen bases. Rossi has also knocked multiple hits in a team-high-tying 11 games, registered a team-leading eight games with multiple RBI and has an active seven-game hitting streak.
Ferrigno, a sophomore third baseman, sets the table as the Lady Bears leadoff hitter leading the team and league with a .392 batting average, 40 hits and 36 runs scored and a third-best .496 on base percentage. Also a one-time Player of the Week, the Bishop Kearney product started in all 38 games and contributed 19 RBI and has swiped 10 stolen bases. She shares the team lead with Rossi with 11 multi-hit games and is one of the hottest hitters over the latter part of the season batting .621 (18-for-29) over the last 10 games.
Gentile, a freshman first baseman, has produced a fine rookie campaign batting .365 with a team-second-best .492 slugging percentage and eight extra base hits. The Fontbonne Hall Academy product also accumulated 16 runs scored, 14 RBI and two stolen bases. The one-time Rookie of the Week and assembled a six-game hitting streak in the middle of the season and had four multi-hit and multi-RBI games this season.
Molinari receives the accolade for the third straight year, while Rossi and Ferrigno are two-time honorees and Gentile, a rookie, receives the award for the first time.
The Lady Bears have added one final regular season tune-up in preparation for the USCAA Nationals, facing USCAA foe Briarcliffe in a single road game tomorrow at Holbrook, N.Y. at 5:30 p.m. The team will depart for Akron, Ohio on Sunday to begin their quest for their first national championship when play begins on Monday morning.