Softball Sweeps Old Westbury to Clinch Winning Campaign

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Freshman Amber Wainwright (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) drove in four runs and sophomore Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) collected a win and a save in the circle as the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team came from behind in both ends of their Skyline Conference doubleheader to defeat SUNY College at Old Westbury 8-2 and 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.

The victory guarantees the 13th winning season in their 16-year program history and keeps the Bears playoff hopes alive for their first Skyline Conference Championship appearance, with two games remaining in their regular season.

Game Info

• Final Scores: St. Joseph's 8, Old Westbury 2 (Game 1) St. Joseph's 4, Old Westbury 1 (Game 2)
• Location: Old Westbury, N.Y.
• Field: Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex
• Records: St. Joseph's (16-12, 6-10), Old Westbury (10-13, 4-13)

Game 1: St. Joseph's 8, Old Westbury 2

• SJC Starters: Simon (SS), Csikortos (2B), Wainwright (DP), Ferrigno (3B), Marino (CF), Rossi (LF), Baglino (C), Gentile (1B) Rancel (RF) Mahoney (P)
• A leadoff single by Gabriella Valdes and a two-out RBI-single by Amelia Carridi in the first snapped a 27.1 inning stretch for Victoria Mahoney without an earned run as the Panthers took an early 1-0 lead.
• Old Westbury tacked on another run in the top of the fourth to move ahead 2-0 before the Bears erupted for six runs—all unearned and all scoring with two outs—in the bottom half of the inning and never trailed again. Back-to-back-to-back run scoring singles by Brianna Baglino, Maria, Gentile, and Stephanie Rancel put the Bears and a two-run bases-loaded single by Amber Wainwright put the exclamation on the 12-batter frame.
• St. Joseph's added solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pad the lead for Mahoney who retired the final 10 batters she faced to improve to hit the 10-win mark in the circle.

SJC Highlights

• Victoria Mahoney allowed two runs on six hits, striking out seven and walked none to improve to 10-6 on the season.
• Amber Wainwright and Brianna Baglino both knocked a hit, drove in a pair of runs and scored twice.
• Kristin Ferrigno compiled the lone multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored and a double.
• Sarah Kampuries laced a double in her lone at bat in the sixth and later came around to score.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 4, Old Westbury 1

• SJC Starters: Simon (SS), Csikortos (RF), Wainwright (C), Ferrigno (3B), Baglino (DP), Gentile (1B), Rancel (CF), Rossi (LF), Quintana (2B), Erhardt (P) 
• As in the opener, the Panthers struck for one run in the first for an early lead as Gabriella Valdes set the frame with a leadoff double.
• St. Joseph's went on top for good with a pair of runs in the third, seniors Samantha Rossi and Samantha Simon both knocked singles and came around to score on a two-out hit by Amber Wainwright.
• Old Westbury threatened in the fifth down 2-1 with the heart of the lineup knocking back-to-back singles with one out. Victoria Mahoney took the circle in a save situation and diffused the threat striking out the Panther No. 5 hitter and inducing a pop out to end the inning.
• The Bears added two insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning knocking four hits and a Wainwright RBI single and a Kristin Ferrigno sacrifice fly putting a cap on the scoring.

SJC Highlights

• Amber Wainwright and Samantha Rossi both knocked two hits each and drove in a pair of runs. Rossi also scored twice.
• Four Bears finished with multi-hit efforts as Samantha Simon and Paige Csikortos also rapped two hits each.
• Kristin Ferrigno collected a RBI on a sacrifice fly.
• Madison Erhardt made just her second collegiate start and improved to 2-1 in the circle. The freshman tossed 4.1 innings and worked around eight hits, allowing just one run, striking out one and walking one.
• Victoria Mahoney notched her second save on the season in 2.2 scoreless innings of work, allowing two hits, striking out two and walking none.

The Bear Facts

• Old Westbury batted as the visiting team on their home field as the game was relocated last minute due to the overnight rains that rendered American Legion Field unplayable.
• With the sweep, the Bears clinch the first winning season under second-year head coach Danielle Fazzolare and the 13th winning campaign all-time.
• Collecting their sixth Skyline win they improve on last year's total of four, with two more league games remaining tomorrow.
• Victoria Mahoney collects just the sixth save in team history and with her second of the season is the program-leader in the category.
• The Bears will need to sweep Yeshiva tomorrow to keep any chance of a post-season appearance alive, but will also need the Maccabees to defeat Purchase at least once on Tuesday for St. Joseph's to clinch the final spot as the Bears do not hold any tiebreaker scenarios over Mount Saint Vincent or Purchase should the three-teams finish tied at eight wins.

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Bears honor three seniors—Kristin Ferrigno, Samantha Simon, and Samantha Rossi—with in their regular season finale hosting Yeshiva University tomorrow at noon at American Legion Field. Live stats will be available on SJCBears.com