BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Hunter College softball team split its first two games of the 2026 City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Championship on Thursday afternoon. The Hawks opened the tournament with a 9-6 victory over top-seeded Baruch before falling 9-5 to No. 2 John Jay later in the day. Hunter will resume postseason play on Friday at 11 a.m. against No. 3 Brooklyn College.
Game 1: Hunter 9, Baruch 6
Hunter jumped out early and held off a late Baruch rally to earn a key opening-round victory against the tournament's top seed.
The Hawks wasted no time offensively, scoring three runs in the first inning. Elizabeth Thompson delivered a two-run triple before Giordana Bowen followed with an RBI double to give Hunter an early advantage.
Hunter added two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-RBI single from Grace Basil before erupting for four runs in the fifth. Isabella Thumhart drove in a run with a single, Bowen added another RBI double, and Brianna Flores contributed a sacrifice bunt RBI as the Hawks built a 9-2 lead.
Bowen paced the offense with three hits and two RBIs, while Thompson finished with two RBIs and two runs scored. Basil added two RBIs, and Alejandra Aquino recorded two hits and two stolen bases.
Baruch attempted a late comeback with three runs across the sixth and seventh innings, but Abigail Bidinger closed out the complete-game victory, allowing six runs while striking out four.
Game 2: Hunter 5, John Jay 9
Hunter collected 12 hits in the second game but could not overcome a big third inning from second-seeded John Jay.
The Hawks struck first with two runs in the opening inning. Thompson reached on an error that allowed Grace Basil to score, and Bowen followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0.
The Bloodhounds answered with a five-run third inning and added two more in the fourth to take control. Hunter continued to battle back offensively, scoring in the fifth and sixth innings.
Basil highlighted the comeback effort with a two-run triple in the sixth inning, while Thumhart added an RBI single. Bidinger, Sonia Rosales Rosenthal, and Adriana Ramirez each recorded multi-hit performances as Hunter totaled 12 hits.
Bidinger got the start in the circle, striking out three over two innings, while Basil worked four innings in relief.
Hunter will continue play in the CUNYAC Championship on Friday, May 8, facing No. 3 Brooklyn College at 11 a.m. in an elimination game.
