Rams Sweep Hunter in Non-Conference Doubleheader

Game 1: Farmingdale State - 4, Hunter College - 1

Game 2: Farmingdale State - 8, Hunter College - 1

Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State softball team swept visiting Hunter College with 4-1 and 8-1 victories in today's non-conference doubleheader. The Rams improved to 20-8 with the wins and have won eight straight games.

Game One

Farmingdale State jumped out to a lead in the first inning of game one. Sophomore centerfielder Rebecca Richman (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) singled through the left side to get on base and stole second. An RBI double by junior shortstop Nicole Farber (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) would score Richman from second, before an RBI single by freshman rightfielder Elizabeth Escobar (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) scored Farber for the 2-0 lead.

Hunter got a run back in the fourth on a fielder's choice by junior Christine Baker (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Saviour) and an overthrown ball would allow a runner to score from third base and make the game 2-1 Rams.

Farmingdale got two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore first baseman Shelby Martin (New Paltz, N.Y./New Paltz) led off with a single up the middle. Sophomore leftfielder Amanda Maass (Mastic Beach, N.Y./William Floyd) bunted her over to second, before freshman second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, N.Y./Longwood) sent a ball to centerfield and rounded the bases for an inside the park homerun and a 4-1 lead.

Junior pitcher Heather Buckshaw (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) allowed no runs over the final two innings and came away with her sixth win of the season (6-3), as she struck out seven with six hits, no earned runs and no walks.

Game Two

Hunter got the first run in game two as junior centerfielder Stephanie Alves (Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis) reached on an error and would score on a single up the middle by senior catcher Jacqueline Frank (Broad Channel, N.Y./Stella Maris). But Farmingdale would respond with two runs to take back the lead on three hits in the bottom of the inning.

Richman walked and advanced to second on a single to left field by sophomore designated hitter Kaitlin Keenan (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip). Farber followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Richman from second, while Keenan moved over to second. Freshman third baseman Kristen Flint (Brentwood, N.Y./Brentwood) singled to rightfield to score Keenan for the 2-1 lead.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Flint knocked a 2RBI single up the middle to score Farber and Keenan. Freshman catcher Jen Jarczynski (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) doubled on the next play, scoring Escobar for the third run of the inning and a 5-1 Farmingdale lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Keenan added the final runs with a three-run homer over the left field fence to clear the bases and give the Rams the 8-1 lead with one inning remaining. Sophomore pitcher Hope Zino (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning and improved to 9-4 overall. Zino went seven innings with eight strikeouts, four hits and no earned runs.

Farmingdale State will now host Mount Saint Mary College on Saturday, April 17th in a Skyline Conference doubleheader at Noon.

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