Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

RANDALL'S ISLAND, N.Y. (April 23, 2013) – Freshman left fielder Gavriella Risman-Jones (New Boston, N.H.) went 3-5 with a walk, triple, three runs, one RBI and two stolen bases while classmate Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) was 2-3 with three walks, a double, one run and two stolen bases as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team split a doubleheader at Hunter College on Tuesday afternoon.

Stevens improves to 6-32 overall while Hunter improves to 9-25.
 

Stevens 10, Hunter 2 (5 innings)

Junior shortstop Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) led off Game One with a double to left field and was joined on the base paths by Risman-Jones via walk.  The pair stole second and third base and after Dempsey walked to load the bases, junior third baseman Stephanie Senkevich (Washington, N.J.) brought DeFeo home on a sacrifice fly to put the Ducks up, 1-0.  Sophomore first baseman Noelle Mulligan (Staten Island, N.Y.) singled to centerfield in the next at-bat, but Dempsey was thrown out at second base to end the inning; fortunately for the Ducks, Risman-Jones came around to score before the play and Stevens took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first. 

The Hawks responded immediately, scoring first on a throwing error and again on a bases-loaded walk to tie things back up at 2-2.  Stevens also had a quick answer, however, getting a leadoff single and stolen base from freshman second baseman Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.), who scored on a two-out double by DeFeo to regain the lead.  Risman-Jones then legged out a triple down the right field line to bring DeFeo home and scored on a passed ball as Dempsey was walked to give Stevens the 5-2 edge.

Senior Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) ran into some trouble in the bottom of the second inning, allowing a leadoff double and advancing the runner on a wild pitch, then walking the next batter to put runners on the corners with no outs.  The veteran regained her composure, however, to get a fly out to left field, a fielder's choice as she lead runner was caught off third base and finally ending the inning with a big swinging strikeout.

Senkevich led off the top of the third inning with a walk and came around to score on a groundout and throwing error out of play, followed by a home run by freshman designated player Oriana DeFeo-Peterson (Patterson, N.Y.) for her first career long-ball, putting the Ducks up, 7-2.  Herforth came back with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third and the Ducks tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth.  Risman-Jones led off with a single and moved to third on a single by Dempsey, then scoring as Dempsey stole second base.  Two batters later, Mulligan singled Dempsey home and helped senior catcher Clair Strom (El Paso, Texas) reach home as she was caught stealing second base.

Herforth recorded her second consecutive 1-2-3 innings and the Ducks nearly added some insurance runs to their lead in the top of the fifth inning, but Hunter would not score in the bottom of the frame and Stevens came away with the 10-2 short-game victory.

Every Duck who stepped to the plate in Game One reached base, with the team scoring a season-high 10 runs.  Risman-Jones was 2-3 with a walk, triple, stolen base, three runs and one RBI while DeFeo finished 2-4 with two doubles, two runs, one RBI and one stolen base.  Mulligan, DeFeo-Peterson and senior centerfielder Lauren Hurley (Sparta, N.J.) each recorded two hits as well, with Mulligan also knocking in two runs.  Dempsey also stole two bases as Herforth surrendered just one earned run on four hits and four walks while striking out five over five innings.

Senior first baseman Sophia Ponce (Bronx, N.Y.) led the Hawks at the plate, going 1-2 with a run and stolen base.  Junior Angel Iacovetti (Imperial Beach, Calif.) allowed five earned runs on six hits and four walks with just one strikeout in her 2.2 innings pitched while freshman Sara Beck (Warwick, N.Y.) gave up three earned runs on six hits and one walk while also striking out one in 2.1 innings.

 
Hunter 10, Stevens 1 (5 innings)

Game Two never seemed to go Stevens' way as Risman-Jones and Dempsey reached second and third base with just one out in the top of the first inning, but a double play on sharp lineout to centerfield and pinpoint throw to get Risman-Jones at home kept the Ducks off the board.

Hunter immediately took the lead on a two-run home run in the bottom of the first and after a pair of quiet innings for Stevens added two more to go up 4-0 heading into the top of the fourth inning.  The Ducks got one back as Senkevich doubled Dempsey home to cut the lead to 4-1, but one inning later Hunter exploded for six runs on a slew of singles to cut the game short with the 10-1 victory.

Dempsey was a perfect 1-1 with a double of the day, a walk and one run while Risman-Jones was 1-2 with a stolen base.  Sophomore Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) allowed nine earned runs on 18 hits, one walks and one hit-by-pitch while striking out two over 4.2 innings.

A trio of Hawks recorded three hits in Game Two, led by senior second baseman Molly Meehan (Pearl River, N.Y.), who went 3-4 with a home run, two runs and three RBI.  Freshman Erika Colangelo (Islip, N.Y.) limited the Ducks to one earned run on five hits and one walk while punching out two over five innings.
 

Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will close out their season on Tuesday, April 23 at The College at Old Westbury (15-15) at 3 p.m.