By: Manuel Polanco
The Bulldogs spent their spring break playing good softball, culminating in a win streak. A big congratulations to men’s tennis player Dennis Shender for getting a CUNYAC honorable mention!
Women’s Softball
On April 1, Brooklyn College (BC) took on John Jay in their CUNYAC opener. This game was a doubleheader, with BC taking a loss in both games.
Despite both teams having five hits, BC lost 4-2 in the first game, but freshman catcher Katelyn Young had a great game, going 2-2 with a pair of hits and a walk. BC scored two runs via a John Jay error.
The second game was not one to remember as BC lost 10-4. A couple of Runs Batted In (RBI) from Young, with freshmen Jazlyn Roberts and Julia Corcoran helping BC get on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman Victoria Elderbaum later scored on a sac fly, making it 10-4.
Stepping into another doubleheader on April 6 against Purchase College, BC saw better success in this series. BC was blown out in the first game, 14-0, but later bounced back to win the second game 6-7.
Due to the mercy rule, someone scored an insurmountable amount and was deemed unlikely to come back. Game one lasted five innings compared to the usual seven, but Junior Vida Rodriguez, freshman Addy Cook, and senior Liliana Gonzalez all managed three hits in the game.
In game two, BC took charge early and were up 4-0 in the early parts of the game. Young hit an RBI double, which helped plate a run, and Roberts earned BC another run by reaching on an error. Freshman Addy Cook helped plate two runs via an RBI single.
This game was back and forth, with each team responding to every run scored. Purchase followed up with a couple of runs of their own in the fifth inning, but BC answered back and tied with an RBI hit from freshman Haylee Burleigh. The comeback was complete after Roberts hit a game-tying double, making it 6-6, then Elderbaum gave BC the lead with an RBI double.
Feeling confident, BC swept its next doubleheader against Cairn University on April 10. BC won 12-5 in the first game and 17-6 in the second, with each game going five innings due to the mercy rule.
BC walked away with 14 hits in game one, putting up an impressive performance. Roberts had a 3-4 day and notched a pair of RBIs. Young went 2-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Rodriguez had a couple of hits and an RBI. Elderbaum drove in three runs while freshman Olivia Gonzalez had two hits and scored two runs as well.
Freshman Kureshma Dhanraj pitched all five innings and gave up four earned runs, with only two being earned, meaning those runs were directly her fault and not due to an error.
In game two, BC was down 4-0 early but came back quickly to tie it up 4-4, using errors, walks, and a wild pitch to tie it up. In the third inning, BC put up 13 runs, taking advantage of an unsuccessful defense from Cairn. Gonzalez got the party started with a base-clearing triple, and her teammates followed suit.
Burleigh, Cook, Elderbaum, and Corcoran all notched an RBI in the inning. Gonzalez went 2-4 and had four RBIs this game, and Burleigh went 3-4 with two RBIs, touching the plate twice. Corcoran had two hits and an RBI, and Rodriguez crossed home three times.
Jessica Bowe notched her fourth win and bettered her record to 4-4. She pitched all five innings with four earned runs and three strikeouts. BC had 11 hits this game with 17 runs and walked seven times.
Continuing their win streak, BC would enter another doubleheader matchup against Lehman College on April 11. BC swept both games, winning the first 14-1 and the second 6-0. BC had 11 hits and nine walks in the first game.
Burleigh had a great game with four RBIs, and Gonzalez had three RBIs, with two of them coming from a two-run single. Roberts had two hits and two RBIs, and Young ended her day with 3-4 and had a stolen base. Dhanraj pitched another complete game and ended her night with 11 strikeouts and one run.
In game two, the runs were less but BC still notched the win. Bowe threw another complete-game shutout, hitting a seven-inning CGSO. Bowe ended her day with two walks, three strikeouts, and she gave up four hits.
BC had eight hits and five stolen bases. Young went 2/4 with two RBIs, and Corcoran went 2/4 as well and scored two runs. Lastly Rodrguiez went 2-2 with a double and triple with two RBIs.
Lastly, BC finished up another double header against Rutgers-Newark and split it. BC took the first game 8-2 but dropped the second game in a close 2-3 loss.
Dhanraj threw another complete game, and her record is 5-11. Corcoran went 3-4, Cook and Rodriguez both had two hits, and Young drove in two runs. BC had nine hits in this game.
Despite out-hitting their opponent, BC dropped a close game to split the doubleheader. Gonzalez had a great game, going 2-2 with a triple and driving in two runs. Bowe took the loss in this game, but Dhanraj pitched in relief and struck out two hitters.
Corcoran had a great game, going 2-3 and scoring two runs. Roberts had a two-hit day, and teammates Cook, Gonzalez, Burleigh, and Elderbaum all had a hit in this game.