ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – Top-seeded Molloy (30-20, 16-4 ECC) and second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas (31-22, 16-4 ECC) survived Elimination Friday and will meet in Saturday's final for the second straght year, with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. Playing in the winner's bracket, the Lions earned a 7-1 win over the Spartans in the first of three games on Friday before third-seeded Queens held on for a 2-0 win to eliminate fourth-seeded Mercy in the second game of the day. St. Thomas Aquinas then eliminated Queens, 2-0, to close Friday's slate. 

(1) Molloy 7, (2) St. Thomas Aquinas (1)
Box Score

The top-seeded softball team secured a 7-1 victory over defending ECC champions, the second-seeded Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas. The Lions improve to 30-20, and the Spartans fall to 30-22.
 
How it Happened

• The visiting Lions started the first inning with a walk to senior Chrissie Huhn before a sacrifice bunt from graduate student Steph Conrade moved her into scoring position.
• Freshman Stevie Dabbadie doubled to right center to plate the first run of the game.
• A leadoff homerun to left field from junior Cheralyn Dusharme doubled the score, 2-0, in the top of the second inning.
• The Lions started the top of the fourth frame with a walk to Dusharme followed by a single to the short stop from sophomore Mae Savage to set the stage for a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Emily McGurk, advancing the runners.
• Graduate student Emma Bachman singled to right field to plate freshman pinch runner Kiara Gaghan, giving Molloy a 3-0 lead.
• St. Thomas Aquinas would respond with a leadoff homerun to left field from Eliana Raposo, cutting the deficit to two, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth
• A double to right field from Dusharme would start a rally for the Lions in the top of the sixth.
• Savage singled to center field, with both runners advancing on the throw before a single to center field from freshman Sophia Mariottini would drive in Dusharme to extend the lead, 4-1.
• A sacrifice bunt from Bachman and Huhn's single to right field would score two more.
• A single to left center from graduate student Alex Burns would tack on one more run, giving Molloy a commanding 7-1 lead.
• Mariottini held the Spartans to one hit through the last two innings to secure the cardinal and white the win.

Top Performances

• Dusharme hit her second home run of the season.
• Burns and Dabbadie each went 2-for-4, with both driving in one run.
• Mariottini pitched a complete game, fanning six batters and allowing just one earned run on four hits.
• Dusharme and Savage both contributed two hits.
• Huhn led with two RBI.
• Bachman stole one base.

Up Next
The top-seeded Lions will head straight to the finals in Saturday's (May 4) ECC Championship game at 12:00 p.m. Molloy will await the winner of today's two elimination games.

Courtesy of Molloy University Sports Information

(3) Queens 2, (4) Mercy 0
Box Score

Head coach Amy Delmore would put the ball in the hand of Queens' Rookie of the Year in Caylea Campbell as the freshman earned her second straight in postseason play and the rookie would deliver in the elimination game.
 
Through the first two innings of play, the Mavericks would put runners on base but each time Campbell and her defense would keep the runners stranded on base to keep the game tied.
 
Queens would threaten in the home half of the second inning as Arianna Fracchioni and Alyssa Wilkinson notched back-to-back singles, but a double play would erase a potential scoring opportunity before the Mavericks were able to get the third out to end the inning.
 
As Campbell worked her first clean inning of the day in the top of the third inning, the Knights' offense would deliver and get on the scoreboard. Caroline Pescatore opened the inning with a double to left field before Emma Zumpol advanced the junior to third base on a sac bunt.
 
Next batter Amanda Baez would reach on a fielder's choice play as the Mavericks got Pescatore out at home plate on a throw from the Mavericks shortstop. But a single from Jenny Murphy would keep the inning alive as Queens had runners on second and first base.
 
Campbell would help her own cause as the rookie laced a two-RBI double to left center field to plate both Baez and Murphy as Queens took a 2-0 lead.
 
Leading 2-0 Campbell worked back-to-back clean innings in the fourth and fifth inning of play as she retried nine straight batters since the leadoff single in the top of the second inning of play.
 
Campbell opened the top of the sixth retiring her 10th straight batter with a groundout before the Mavericks loaded the bases mixed in with the Knights getting the second out with a single, fielder's choice, and a single up the middle.
 
With the bases loaded and two outs, Campbell would keep the bases loaded as she recorded her fifth punchout of the day to end the inning.
 
As the Knights were unable to take advantage of Campbell's second double of the game in the bottom of the sixth for another insurance run, the rookie returned to the circle to keep the shutout going and advance Queens to the next round.
 
The ECC Rookie of the Year opened the top of the seventh with her sixth strikeout of the day before inducing fly out to Baez in center field for the second out. But the Mavericks would extend the inning with a single through the right side.
 
With two outs and a runner on first base, it would be a six-pitch battle at the plate for the final out before the rookie induced a fly out to Pescatore to end the game as Queens kept their season alive for one more game with a 2-0 victory over the Mavericks.

Courtesy of Queens College Sports Information

(2) St. Thomas Aquinas 2, (3) Queens 0
Box Score

Sarah Clancy tossed a four-hit shutout to catapult St. Thomas Aquinas College to a 2-0 win over Queens College and earn a berth in the championship round of the East Coast Conference Softball Tournament.

Second-seeded STAC, now 31-22, will meet top-seeded Molloy University on Saturday at noon at Bob Klein Field in the RVC Sports Complex. Molloy defeated STAC, 7-1, earlier in the day in the second round of the four-team, double-elimination tourney. STAC will need to defeat Molloy twice on Saturday to win the title. Queens defeated Mercy University, 2-0, in today's other game.

Clancy's pitching and a clutch two-run rally in the seventh inning on Friday afternoon was the difference for the Spartans. In that fateful inning, freshman Nayah Diaz and Amanda Demmerle each had singles and stolen bases to put runners on second and third. Sophomore Adriana Coira then laced a double to left center field to break the scoreless tie.

Clancy worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning with a big strikeout. She received excellent defensive support from several teammates. Aliya Feerick (right field) and Elyse Marcano (second base) sparkled with their gloves and freshman catcher Olivia Leon caught a pop up with her barehand to record an important out.

In the morning loss to Molloy, the Lions scored four runs in the sixth inning to break open a close game.

Saturday's championship round appearance is STAC's third in the last four seasons.

Courtesy of St. Thomas Aquinas College Sports Information