Brooklyn, NY---Despite scoring the most runs in a single game so far this season, the Brooklyn College softball team dropped both games of its conference opener against Baruch College this afternoon at Brooklyn College Field. The Bulldogs drop to 0-8 on the season. Baruch improves to 6-4 and 4-2 with the CUNYAC victories. Brooklyn will have a week's layoff before going on the road for a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Valley Forge on Thursday, April 5th. The Bulldogs return home on Saturday, April 7th, to host College of Staten Island in CUNYAC doubleheader.
In Game 1, the Bearcats scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning beginning with an RBI triple. Leading 5-0, the Bearcats put the game out of reach with a three-run fourth inning including a two-run homer. The Bearcats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth for the final score, 9-0 (5 innings). Brooklyn College starter,
Uena Xharo, would be credited for her fourth loss of the season. Senior infielder,
Daminska Estime, had the Bulldogs' lone hit of the game, an infield single in the bottom of the third inning. Baruch starter, Cassandra Lagana, improved to on the season 3-2 with the win, yielding the one hit, walking a batter, and striking out eight.
After Baruch jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Brooklyn error, the Bulldogs answered right away in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2. Freshman outfielder, Brittany Lay, was the Bulldogs first baserunner of the inning, reaching on an error. She would advance to second on a single slapped by senior outfielder,
Breanna Maresca. With two outs and Lay and Maresca advancing to second and third following a ground-out, Lay would score the tying run on a wild pitch. Baruch would deliver a devastating blow in the top of the second inning, scoring nine runs to take a commanding 10-1 lead.
The Bulldogs didn't lay down in the bottom of the second inning, tacking on a run on a RBI single hit by sophomore outfielder,
Alison Gross, scoring sophomore infielder,
Anna Curran, who reached base after being hit by a pitch to start off the inning. Xharo would come in for relief for Brooklyn starter, Brittany Lay, late in the second. She would keep the Bearcats scoreless in the third inning.
The Bulldogs continued to chip away at the Bearcat lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI ground-out put into play by Curran, scoring Maresca who walked earlier in the inning.
Baruch scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth inning before the Bulldogs continued to make things interesting in the bottom of the inning. Freshman infielder Jessenia Garate singled to lead off the fourth and advanced to second on a passed ball. The next batter,
Alison Gross, would then walk. A sacrifice bunt laid down by Xharo advanced Garate and Estime who pinch ran for Gross to third and second respectively. Senior infielder
Nicole Boudouris then reached on a fielder's choice that scored Garate who beat out a pickle between third and home. Estime scored the Bulldogs' final run of the game on a passed ball to cut the Baruch lead to 11-5
The Bearcats scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning including a pair on a 2-RBI single. With two outs, Curran singled in the bottom of the fifth but was left stranded to end the game on the next batter.
Garate went 2-3 in Game 2. Maresca was 1-2 with a walk and scored a run.
