Brooklyn, N.Y.- The no. 2 Hunter College softball team defeated third seeded Baruch College in the team's first game of the CUNYAC Championship tournament on Thursday afternoon. With the 3-2 win, the Hawks will play top seeded John Jay College at 5:45 p.m.
Baruch got off to a hot start in the top of the first. After reaching on a fielder's choice and advancing to second on a throwing error by the Hawks, another Bearcat got on base as pitched
T'ea Panagakos walked her. Milagros Arias then secured a triple, sending the two other's home to take an early 2-0 lead. Arias was left on third as Baruch's next batter flied out to right field to close out the top of the inning.
After both teams going out in order their next two at bats,
Paige Witalec secured Hunter's first hit of the game as she singled to left field at the bottom of the second.
Samantha Marsala then reached on a a fielder's choice while Witalec was thrown out at second. Marsala was able to advance after a wild pitch from Baruch but the Bearcats' defense stalled the Hawks' momentum with
Grace Basil and
Nicole Bowe lining out to end the inning as Hunter failed to get on the board.
Rosenthal managed another hit for Hunter with a single to right field at the bottom of the fourth but the Hawks' hitting was stifled for the remainder of the inning.
Bowe was able to break open Baruch's defense at the bottom of the fifth, opening up the inning with a triple. A single from
Jessica Fowler sent Bowe home to finally put the Hawks on the board. Despite two stolen bases from Bowe and
Olivia Palumbo later in the inning, they were unable to tie it up and entered the sixth inning down 2-1.
Baruch went down in order for their next at bat with Panagakos recording her second strike out of the day for the final out. With Rosenthal on first after being hit by a pitch at the bottom of the sixth,
Kierra Shaw stepped in to pinch run. A double from Witalec followed to send Shaw home and even the score at 2-2, as she added an extra base on the throw. Marsala then came to the plate, sending Witalec home with a sacrifice fly to give Hunter a 3-2 lead, the team's first of the day.
Despite an error at the top of the seventh, Hunter kept Baruch off the board in the team's final at bat to secure the walk off win and advance to the face off against no. 1 John Jay in the later game.
Panagakos grabbed the win, as she remained on the mound for all seven innings, striking out two batters, allowing just six hits and no earned runs. Witalec led Hunter's offense as she went 2-3 with one run and one RBI for the day.
The second game will start at 5:45 pm at Brooklyn College.
