Patchogue, NY – The softball team dropped a non-conference twin bill to the Golden Eagles of St. Joseph's College of Long Island. After being blanked 7-0 in the first game, they were bounced 12-4 in the night cap. The two losses drop the Hawks to a 4-10 overall record while St. Joseph's moves to 10-6.
 
Game 1 Recap
The Purple and Gold managed just four hits in the game but were unable to manufacture any runs despite stranding runners on third on two occasions. Emily Ruiz accounted for two of the Hawk's four hits while Taylor Crofts and Danielle Zurek registered one apiece.
 
Crofts led off the game with a single and then advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Christine Kline to advance to second. She stole third successfully but was stranded there after Victoria Slavik grounded out to end the inning. In similar fashion, Ruiz reached on an error and stole third with two outs in the second, but once again, Hunter was unable to drive in the run as Nicole Fillisetti struck out swinging to end the inning.
 
St. Joseph's notched one run in the bottom of the second and then posted back-to-back innings with three runs apiece to make it a 7-0 game. Pitcher Sara Beck tossed 3.1 innings, allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits and struck out four as she suffered the loss. Zurek pitched the final 2.2 innings and allowed two hits while fanning three.
 
Game 2 Recap
Despite a three-run first inning, Hunter was able to muster one more run in the sixth while allowing a total of 12 over the six inning game.  Both Crofts and Slavik registered two-hit games while five others reached base with a hit. Erika Colangelo threw four complete innings, allowed nine runs (four earned), walked and struck out two batters a piece and was dealt the loss. Zurek came in relief and took care of the final 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out two while walking as many.
 
Ruiz reached on a one-out single to left field and then scored on a triple to right field by Slavik for the game's first run of the afternoon. Brianna Monaco was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second after Annalise Mcclellan reached on a shortstop error which scored Slavik, making it 2-0. Alana Vezza smacked an RBI double to left field to score Monaco and give Hunter the 3-0 advantage.
 
However, the lead was short lived as St. Joseph's posted a five-run inning in the bottom of the first on three hits and one error to make it a 5-3 affair. Another run in the bottom of the third moved the scoreboard to 6-3 before tacking on four more in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Kline hit an RBI double to left center to score Beck, inching the Hawks closer, 10-4 but it proved to be insufficient as St. Joseph's tacked on two final runs in the bottom of the final inning, closing the books on a 12-4 loss.
 
Hunter returns to action on Tuesday, April 5 when they take on NYU at Randall's Island, Field #5. The single game outing is slated for a 3pm start.