Rockville Centre, N.Y. – The Molloy softball team shutout the third-seeded Cougars of Caldwell University, 5-0, to advance to the Championship game of the NCAA Division II East 2 Regional Tournament. Senior pitcher Chelsea Hawks (Wading River, N.Y.) gave up only three hits in her seventh shutout and 22nd complete game of the season to improve to 18-11. The Lions now sit at 24-16 on the campaign and will face either Caldwell or Merrimack tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.
Junior Brianna Dalton (Northampton, Pa.) and senior Ashley Fedor (Monroe, Conn.) each walked to start the second inning before a single from junior Alexandra Russo (Coram, N.Y.) gave Molloy, the visiting team on the scoreboard, a 1-0 lead. The Lions doubled their lead in the sixth following an RBI single from junior Tiana DeOliveira (Mastic, N.Y.).
Fedor led off the top of the seventh with a single through the left side before Russo bunted her way to first. Senior Erin Clinton (Long Beach, Calif.) singled to left field to score Fedor and pinch runner Gianna Avallone (Blauvelt, N.Y.). The second baseman would score to put Molloy up 5-0 after an RBI double from graduate student Milan Botte (San Diego, Calif.).
Hawks retired the Cougars in order in the home half of the seventh inning to secure Molloy's place in the Championship game. On the day, the senior totaled four strikeouts. Clinton, Botte, and junior Sarah Rambo (Eagleville, Pa.) each went 2-of-4 with Clinton driving in two runs while Russo went 2-of-3 with one RBI.
Provided by the Molloy Sports Information Department.
