Game 1: St. Joseph's-Brooklyn 8, Farmingdale State 5
Game 2: Farmingdale State 8, St. Joseph's-Brooklyn 2
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. | Led by a 6-for-8 effort with six runs scored by junior right fielder Jenna Giliberti (Bellmore, N.Y.) on Saturday afternoon, the Farmingdale State College softball team picked up a split in its Skyline Conference-opening doubleheader against host St. Joseph's University-Brooklyn. The Bears held off a Rams comeback in the opening game to capture an 8-5 decision, before the visitors rapped 15 hits to register an 8-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Game 1
Giliberti and senior center fielder Priscilla Rivera (Brentwood, N.Y.) each went 3-for-4 with a double in the opening game at the top of the Rams' lineup, and scored runs for FSC in the first inning. Giliberti singled up the middle to lead things off before stealing second base, before moving up 60 feet when Rivera reached base on a bunt single. Two batters later after Rivera stole second base to move into scoring position, freshman Samantha Stolfi (Pt. Jefferson Station, N.Y.) drove home Giliberti on a single in front of the plate to put the visitors on the board. Rivera came across the plate one batter later, when junior Angelina Capuano (Sayville, N.Y.) reached on a bunt single to double the Farmingdale State edge.
St. Joseph's-Brooklyn responded with three-run innings in the bottom of the first and third innings, before adding a pair in the fourth, to power to an 8-2 advantage. The Rams pulled back two runs in the fifth inning when Giliberti and Rivera scored on a double to right field by senior Brooke Walker (Hampton Bays, N.Y.), before Rivera chased Giliberti across the dish one inning later on a double to center. FSC brought the tying run to the plate with one down in the top of the seventh frame, but were unable to capitalize.
Walker, Capuano and Shorr each collected two hits in the opener, with Giliberti swiping two stolen bases.
Game 2
Three hits apiece by Giliberti -- who finished a double shy of the cycle -- and Stolfi led the Farmingdale State charge in the nightcap, with Rivera (SB), Capuano and freshman Christina Rodriguez (Vineland, N.J.) each going 2-for-4 at the dish. The Rams broke a 2-2 deadlock with six runs across the fourth-through-sixth innings in support of victorious sophomore right-handed pitcher Ava Shorr (No. Babylon, N.Y.), who won her third-consecutive decision after scattering eight hits and fanning two Bears (10-8, 3-1 Skyline).
Giliberti opened the account with a leadoff triple, and came home when the throw in from the outfield got away from the St. Joseph's-Brooklyn fielders to give her side a 1-0 advantage on the first action of the game.
FSC doubled its lead one inning later, when senior Allie Stanya (Manorville, N.Y.) came around on a two-out throwing error in the Bears' infield.
St. Joseph's-Brooklyn leveled the game at 2-all with a pair in the bottom of the third stanza, before the Rams went ahead for good on Rodriguez's first collegiate homer to center field in the top of the fourth inning to start a string of six unanswered runs by the visiting side.
Walker, Capuano and Shorr each drove in one in a three-run fifth inning for the visitors, plating Giliberti, freshman Alyssa Baez (Queens, N.Y.) and freshman Lauren Varagnolo (Centereach, N.Y.), respectively.
Giliberti's first home run of the campaign went to left field in the top of the sixth, with Rivera scoring three batters later on a base-knock to left by Varagnolo.
Head coach Liz Pennino's Rams are back in action Tuesday afternoon, when they play host to Hunter College in a 4 p.m., non-conference doubleheader.