Brooklyn, NY----The No. 3 seeded Brooklyn College softball team came away with a split on the first day of the CUNYAC Championship Tournament on Thursday on their home field. Brooklyn fell to No. 2 John Jay, 10-1 (6 innings) to start their day before defeating top-seed, Baruch, 9-1 (5 innings) in the elimination game in order to advance to the second and final day of the tournament. BC moves to 16-24 overall following Thursday's split. Next Up: Brooklyn will take on No. 4 seed Hunter who defeated Baruch in the first game of the day and lost to John Jay in the final game of the day, on Friday, May 8, at 11:00 am at Brooklyn College Field. Winner will advance to the championship round against John Jay beginning at 1:15 pm.
Game 2 Recap | Brooklyn- 9, Baruch- 1 (5 Innings)
Brooklyn struck quickly in the opening inning, capitalizing on Baruch miscues to take a 2-0 lead. After leading off the game with a walk, Lianna Gonzalez came around to score on a sacrifice bunt by Haylee Burleigh that resulted in a throwing error. Burleigh later scored on a wild pitch to give the Bulldogs early momentum.
Baruch answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the first, but Brooklyn starter Jessica Bowe settled in from there. The fresham right-hander allowed just two hits over five innings, surrendering no earned runs while striking out one to improve to 9-7 on the season.
The Bulldogs broke the game open in the fourth inning with a seven-run outburst. Brooklyn loaded the bases before Lianna Gonzalez drew an RBI walk to make it 3-1. Burleigh followed with an RBI fielder's choice before Addy Cook delivered the biggest hit of the afternoon, a two-run single to center field extending the lead to 6-1.
Katelyn Young added an RBI single later in the inning, and Victoria Elderbaum capped the rally with a two-run single to right field as Brooklyn pushed its advantage to 9-1.
Cook finished 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Elderbaum went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk. Burleigh scored twice, drove in a run, stole a base, and sparked the offense from the top of the lineup. Young also added an RBI knock in the elimination game victory.
Brooklyn's defense was equally sharp, highlighted by a first-inning double play and a clean fielding performance without an error.
The Bulldogs held Baruch to just two hits, with Megan Bell and Mia Faddah accounting for the Bearcats' only base knocks.
Game 1 Recap | Brooklyn- 1, John Jay- 10 (6 Innings)
John Jay capitalized on Brooklyn defensive miscues throughout the contest, scoring nine unearned runs behind a six-hit effort to secure the victory.
After a scoreless top of the first, John Jay struck first in the bottom half when Kendal Bryant came around to score on an infield error to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Bloodhounds added two more unearned runs in the second inning on an RBI single from Bryant and a bases-loaded walk by Alyssa Cadolino to extend the advantage to 3-0.
Brooklyn's lone run came in the fourth inning. Young opened the frame with a triple into the right-center gap and later scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 3-1.
The Bulldogs threatened in both the fifth and sixth innings. Burleigh doubled and Cook drew a walk in the fifth, while Vida Rodriguez tripled and Jazlyn Roberts walked in the sixth, but Brooklyn was unable to push another run across.
John Jay broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth with a seven-run inning. The Bloodhounds took advantage of two Brooklyn errors, three walks, and three wild pitches before Sidney Bankston delivered the decisive blow with a three-run double to left center to end the game.
Rodriguez paced Brooklyn offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with a triple, while Young went 1-for-3 with a triple and the Bulldogs' only run scored. Burleigh added a double as part of Brooklyn's five-hit afternoon.
Kureshma Dhanraj took the loss in the circle despite allowing just one earned run over 5.2 innings. The freshman struck out two and walked eight in the complete-game effort.
Lindsay Ogden earned the win for John Jay after tossing a complete game, allowing one run on five hits while striking out seven.
