FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | The top-seeded Farmingdale State College softball team used a pair of four-run innings, while Rams pitching limited No. 5-seed St. Joseph's-Brooklyn to five hits Thursday afternoon, as the hosts opened the 2022 Skyline Conference Championship with an 8-0, five-inning victory over the visiting Bears.
FSC (27-3) advances in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament, and will face the winner of Thursday evening's contest between No. 2-seed Manhattanville College and third-seeded Mount Saint Mary, Friday at 9 a.m. at the Farmingdale State Softball Complex.
St. Joseph's-Brooklyn (23-13) will play in an elimination game Friday at 11 a.m. against the losing side from the Manhattanville/Mount Saint Mary showdown.
Starting pitchers Allie Stanya (Manorville, N.Y.) of Farmingdale State and Jessica Mecham (W. Jordan, Utah) of the Bears both tossed scoreless frames over the first three innings.
After the Rams defense came up with a big outfield assist from left fielder Alyssa Cowen (Franklin Sq., N.Y.) to throw out a runner at home plate in the top of the fourth, Farmingdale State came up with a five-hit inning in the bottom of the stanza to plate four runs. Sophomore Jenna Giliberti (Bellmore, N.Y.) hit a single up the middle two batters into the home half to open the scoring when senior Priscilla Rivera (Brentwood, N.Y.) came home, before scoring – along with Brooke Walker (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) – on a single to left by senior Julianna Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y.). Fellow senior Jessica Clark (Selden, N.Y.) pushed the FSC lead to four one batter later, singling home sophomore Angelina Capuano (Sayville, N.Y.).
Giliberti (2-for-3, 2 R) opened the scoring in the four-run, game-winning fifth inning on a bunt by Capuano, before freshman Ava Shorr (No. Babylon, N.Y.) crossed home one batter later on a throwing error in the infield. Clark followed with a sacrifice fly to right to score Capuano, before Stanya ended the contest via mercy rule when her left-field single allowed Prescia to come home.
Stanya moved to 13-1 in the pitcher's circle for the Rams, firing four innings of five-hit, one-walk ball with a pair of strikeouts. Shorr threw a scoreless fifth frame, inducing three St. Joseph's-Brooklyn groundouts on nine pitches.
Mecham (6-4) took the loss in the circle for the Bears, allowing four earned runs over 3.1 innings pitched.