Simon Knocks 100th Hit as Softball Sweeps Lehman in American Legion Opener

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Senior Samantha Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) became the second Bear this season to join the 100-hit club as the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team opened play at American Legion Field with 19-4 and 15-7 triumphs over Lehman College on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Amber Wainwright (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) had four RBI and five runs scored and junior Destiny Marino (Howard Beach, N.Y./Christ the King) drove in five runs. Sophomore Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./St. John Vianney) collected a pair of wins in the circle, striking out 12 over five innings of work.

Game Info

• Final Score: St. Joseph's def Lehman, 19-4 (5 inn) and 15-7 (6 inn)
• Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Field: American Legion Field
• Records: St. Joseph's (13-7), Lehman (4-16) 

Game 1: St. Joseph's 19, Lehman 4 (5 innings)

• SJC Starters: Csikortos (SS), Rancel (RF), Wainwright (DH), Ferrigno (3B), Quintana (3B), Gentile (1B), Marino (CF), Baglino (2B), Kampuries (LF), Mahoney (P)
• The Bears loaded the bases on three straight walks to open their first at bat and Kristin Ferrigno started the scoring with a double to center as SJC nearly batted around twice and posted 12 runs in the inning to take a commanding lead. Amber Wainwright drove in a pair of runs with a single later in the frame and Brianna Baglino, Nicole Quintana and Destiny Marino all had run-scoring base knocks in the seven-hit inning.
• The Lightning got on the board in the third assembling a two-out rally to score two runs on two hits, the only blemishes against starter Victoria Mahoney who went three innings in the start to earn the victory.
• St. Joseph's responded with another big inning in the bottom of the third, making the most of six walks and a hit batter to score seven more runs. Baglino had another RBI single and Paige Csikortos also knocked an infield single to bring home a run.
• The visitors scored two in the top of the fifth, but couldn't generate enough offense to extend the game.

SJC Highlights

• Kristin Ferrigno knocked a single and a double in her lone two plate appearances to finish 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored.
• Brianna Baglino went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and a sacrifice.
• Amber Wainwright reached base in all four plate appearances, walking three times, scoring as many times, and driving in two runs.
• Destiny Marino drove in two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly, all in the first inning.
• Victoria Mahoney improved to 7-3 in the circle striking out seven in three innings, walking none and allowing two runs on two hits.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 15, Lehman 7 (6 innings)

• SJC Starters: Simon (SS), Csikortos (RF), Ferrigno (3B), Wainwright (DP), Quintana (2B), Gentile (1B), Marino (CF), Kampuries (C), Rancel (LF), Armano (P)
• St. Joseph's continued the momentum from the opener jumping out to a 6-0 advantage with four runs in the first and two in the second. Samantha Simon led off the first with a triple to get her 99th hit and led off the second with a single to left for her milestone hit. Sarah Kampuries and Nicole Quintana both rapped two-out, two-run singles in the first and second innings, respectively.
• But the Lightning clawed back into the game posting two runs in the third and five runs in the fourth to take their first lead of the day, 7-6. Maranda Diaz launched a grand slam in the fourth that knotted the game at 6-all.
• St. Joseph's tied the game back up at 7-all with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning and the Bears took control for good with seven runs in the fifth.  After Stephanie Rancel knocked a one-out single up the middle, three straight Bears were hit by pitches to start the carousel. Amber Wainwright produced another run with a single and later in the frame Destiny Marino's double and Brianna Baglino's single both brought home two more runs each with two outs.
• Entering to pitch in the fifth, Victoria Mahoney struck out five of the seven batters she faced to pick up her second win of the day. Wainwright ended the game with her third hit of the game in the sixth, scoring Paige Csikortos to put the Bears over the run limit.

SJC Highlights

• Amber Wainwright led the Bears with three hits, driving in a pair or runs and scoring twice. Also drawing a walk, the freshman reached base in all but one of her nine plate appearances on the day.
• Destiny Marino knocked a single and a double to finish 2-for-4, driving in three runs.
• Nicole Quintana also knocked a pair of hits, accumulating two RBI, two runs and a walk.
• With a 2-for-4 game and three runs scored, Samantha Simon becomes the 16th player in team history to knock 100 hits. She joins Kristin Ferrigno and Samantha Rossi as active members of the coveted club.
• Catchers Sarah Kampuries and Brianna Baglino both drove in two runs each as the pair combined to bat 3-for-4.
• Victoria Mahoney improved to 8-3 in the circle with her third victory in a relief effort this season. She surrendered just one hit and struck out five over two scoreless innings.
• Madison Erhardt allowed one unearned run and struck out one in one inning of relief work in the circle. 

Next Up for St. Joseph's

Riding a four-game winning streak—their longest of the season—the Bears return to Skyline Conference play facing Purchase College on Monday, April 17th looking to level their league record in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.