New York, N.Y.- The Hunter College softball team split a double header against John Jay at home on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks (7-11, 3-1 CUNYAC) fell short in the first game 2-3, but rallied back for a thrilling 8-7 walk-off victory over the Bloodhounds (2-10, 5-1 CUNYAC), handing John Jay its first conference loss of the season.
Game 1 Hunter 2, John Jay 3
The first game started out with the Bloodhounds taking an early lead, scoring a run in each of the first two innings while silencing Hunter's offense.
Samantha Marsala led a come back in the third for the Purple and Gold, as she reached first on an error to advance the runners on second and third as
Sophia Perez crossed the plate for the Hawks for the first time that day, closing the gap to 2-1. The following inning
Jessica Fowler logged the Hawks' first homer of the year to even out the score at 2-2 heading into the fifth inning.
Alyssa Curiale stepped on the mound to relieve
T'ea Panagakos and was able to keep the Bloodhounds off the board for the next two innings with three strikeouts but a pair of errors by the Hawks at the top of the seventh inning allowed John Jay to tack on one last run ultimately leading to the win for John Jay at 3-2.
Sonia Rosales Rosenthal and
Paige Witalec each had two hits in the game, with Oliva Palumbo added a double, and Witalec's home run gave her Hunter's lone RBI of the game. Panagakoes faced 21 batters over four innings to start the day, striking out three and walking four while John Jay managed seven hits. Curiale was credited with the loss but still managed an impressive outing with three strike outs while only allowing one hit across 11 batters.
Game 2 Hunter 8, John Jay 7
The second game came down to the wire with Hunter grabbing a walk-off victory. The Hawks found themselves trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Fowler stepped up to the plate and delivered a stunning homer to center field, bringing in three crucial runs. Fowler's power was on display throughout the game, as she also homered earlier in the seventh and third innings, ultimately securing two home runs in the Hawks' victorious effort.
The game started with the John Jay Bloodhounds making an impact, as Maleea Gallaspy's first-inning homer to center field put them on the board with two runs. Not to be outdone, Rylea Sandel of the Bloodhounds added another solo homer to center field in the top of the third. However, the Hunter Hawks swiftly turned the tide in the bottom of the third. Adriana Ramirez's double brought in one run, and then Fowler's second homer of the day sent two more runners across the plate, propelling the Hawks into the lead.In a seesaw battle, the Bloodhounds came back strong in the top of the fifth, with another homer to center field bringing in three runs, giving them a 6-4 advantage.
T'ea Panagakos, who earned the win with a solid performance, over two innings, she conceded five hits and one run, striking out two batters without issuing a walk. On the other side, Lindsay Ogden took the loss for John Jay, pitching six and two-thirds innings and allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits. Ogden managed six strikeouts but issued three walks. The game began with Brielle Staskavage on the mound for the Hunter, who gave up four hits and three runs over two and two-thirds innings.
At the plate, Witalec stood out for the Hawks with two hits in four at-bats, while Alyssa Curiale was a force, driving in three runs and going 3-for-4 on the day.
Hunter returns to the field on Wednesday and St. Joseph's Long Island for a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
