ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – The No. 25 nationally ranked Molloy College softball team advanced to the winners’ bracket of the East Coast Conference tournament on Thursday afternoon, as the top-seeded Lions defeated No. 4 Queens College 9-1 at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Molloy will now square-off against No. 3 Dowling College, who defeated C.W. Post in Game One of the ECC tournament earlier in the day.

Junior pitcher Kelley Jansen (Long Beach, N.Y.) started in the circle for Molloy. She pitched five innings of three-hit ball, before classmate Megan Butterworth (Bellmore, N.Y.) stepped in to close the top of the sixth inning. The Lions scored their three final runs in the bottom of the sixth, effectively ending the game with a 9-1 score.

Jansen struck out all three batters of the first inning, before the Lions stepped up to hit in their half of the first. Junior Jeana Frey (Island Park, N.Y.) started it off with a walk, and advanced to second then third on two consecutive wild pitches. With Butterworth at the plate, it started to rain, causing nearly an hour and a half delay.

Once the rain lifted, Butterworth also drew a walk, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Later in the inning, another wild pitch allowed Frey to score and Butterworth to move to second. Junior Haley Calderwood (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) followed that up with a walk, before sophomore Nicolette Sinagra (Brooklyn, N.Y.) drove in an RBI single through the left side to score Butterworth.

Freshman Brenda Lee (Corona, Calif.) reached on a fielder’s choice that moved Sinagra to second and got Calderwood out at third. Senior Josette Cavallaro (North Babylon, N.Y.) then stepped up and smacked an RBI single to left field, plating Sinagra and bringing the score to 3-0 Molloy.

Molloy added another pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Calderwood kicked it off with a double to centerfield before being pinch ran for by freshman Brianne Catalano (Franklin Square, N.Y.) A wild pitch advanced Catalano to third, then she scored on a double to right field by Sinagra. Another wild pitch moved Sinagra to third, and then Lee connected for a sacrifice fly to centerfield, bringing Sinagra home for a 5-0 advantage.

The Lions tacked one more on in the fourth, as Calderwood singled, scoring senior Megan Hutnick (Lancaster, Calif.) Hutnick previously reached base after drawing a walk.

The Knights scored their only run of the game in the sixth inning. Freshman Samantha Mattsson (Staten Island, N.Y.) crossed home plate after a Jennifer Shereyka (Parlin, N.J.) single through the right side for Queens’ only run of the afternoon.

Molloy closed out the game with three runs in the sixth inning. Butterworth smacked a double to centerfield, before senior Carla Campagna (Floral Park, N.Y.) flew out to centerfield, allowing Butterworth to tag and advance to third. Calderwood was at bat next, and connected for another RBI double, plating Butterworth. Sinagra followed that up with another double, scoring Calderwood. A wild pitch closed out the scoring, as Sinagra crossed home and ended the game, 9-1.

The win improves Molloy to 40-10 overall in 2012, while Queens falls to 20-17. Jansen struck out 11 batters, while Butterworth struck out one in one inning of work. Sinagra went 3-for-4 with a game-high three RBI. Calderwood hit a perfect 3-for-3, with two RBI.

Head Coach Susan Cassidy-Lyke and the Lions are back in action on Friday as they play in the winners bracket of the ECC tournament against Dowling College. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at the Dean G. Skelos Sports Complex in Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Provided by the Molloy Sports Information Department.