Brooklyn, NY - The Hunter softball team snapped a seven-game skid this afternoon when they defeated Brooklyn College handily in both games of the double header. The Purple and Gold ran the scoreboard up to 18-5 in game one and then shut out their conference opponents 11-0 in the second game. The wins move the Hawks to 2-7 overall and 2-0 in league action.

Game 1 (Hunter-18 | Brooklyn-5)
Hunter's bats could not be stopped in game one. The Hawks shelled Brooklyn hurler D. Guzzardi for 18 runs on 15 hits with five women logging a multiple-hit game. Leading the way was Nicole Bowe who went 4-5 at the plate with a double, four RBI, a walk and stolen base. Meanwhile, teammate Sophia Perez also went 4-5 with a double, a walk and one run batted in. Both Paige Witalec and Olivia Palumbo notched two hits and two RBI a piece. In the circle, Sarah Schor eared her first win of the season, tossing all five innings and allowing four earned runs on nine hits while striking out five. 

A Perez leadoff bunt and Bowe double to start the game put the Hawks in scoring position early. With help from a Brooklyn error and two wild pitches, the Purple and Gold posted three runs in the first inning. With aggressive base running and hot bats, Bowe smacked a two-RBI double in the second that sparked a five-run rally. Palumbo rocked a two-RBI triple and then scored on a wild pitch to make it an 8-1 affair at the end of the top of the second.

Despite holding a six run advantage to start the third, the Hawks did not let up and added another three runs in the top of the frame with RBI singles from Bowe and Witalec. In the fourth, Hunter capitalized on a Brooklyn wild pitch and two errors which resulted in tacking on an additional four runs, putting the game out of reach despite Brooklyn scoring three in the bottom of the inning. Three more insurance runs in the top of the fifth put the icing on the cake.

Game 2 (Hunter-11 | Brooklyn-0)
Hunter's offense and defense were in sync in game two as the bats did their job with 13 hits while the gloves held the Bulldogs to a scoreless, two-hit game. Palumbo filled the stat sheet with a 3-4 performance at the plate to compliment her two RBI and two runs scored. Perez did her part with three hits and three runs scored. Alyssa Curiale was productive in both the batter's box as well as in the circle. The freshman went 3-4 with three RBIs and a run scored and tossed all six innings while allowing just two hits, striking out 12 and keeping the Bulldogs scoreless.

With Perez on with a lead off bunt, Bulldog pitcher, Guzzardi, threw two wild pitches to bring Perez home for the quick 1-0 lead. Curiale ended the first with a strike out, then fanned the next three batters in the second, and sat down the first two batters in the third with strikeouts for six straight batters retired via strikeout. The Hawks were held scoreless in the second but added a run in the third when Palumbo singled to score Perez who once again reached base as the leadoff batter.

The Hawks made it a 3-0 game by adding another run in the top of the fourth. Meanwhile, in the bottom of the inning, Curiale got out of a jam as Brooklyn had runners on second and third with two outs, but the righty struck out Ortiz-Men to end the inning and neutralize the threat.

Two more runs in the fifth made it a 5-0 ballgame. But it was the sixth inning that put the exclamation point on the win. With five of the first six batters getting on base, the Purple and Gold registered six hits in the inning. And with a little help from a Brooklyn error and passed ball, the Hawks added another six runs to their score to make it 11-0. The game was out of reach and ended with two grounders to Samantha Marsala and Curiale striking out the final batter.

Up next the Hawks will take on SUNY Farmingdale on Thursday, March 31 in Farmingdale, NY. The first game of the double header is scheduled for a 4:30pm start.