The softball team began its 2006 schedule with a sweep of St. Elizabeth in a doubleheader played on a chilly Wednesday afternoon at East River Park in lower Manhattan.
The Bearcats won the first game in dramatic comeback fashion, 6-5, and took the second game, 13-1, to open the young season with non-conference two victories.
In the first game, the Bearcats took a 3-0 advantage into the seventh inning looking to close out the game, but St. Elizabeth (0-2) rallied with five runs to take a 5-3 lead.
Melissa Mills (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) singled home Megan Joyce (Seagirt, N.J./St. Rose) for the go-ahead run that brought the bench to life after six scoreless innings.
The Bearcats immediately responded in the bottom of the seventh inning with three runs to clinch the exciting victory.
Leidy Nunez (Bronx, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) started the rally with a single and Melinda Dolan (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa) walked to put two runners on base. They both advanced when Rebecca Sbordone (New York, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) hit a sacrifice bunt towards first base.
Kathy Maher (Brooklyn, N.Y/James Madison) then hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Nunez to cut the deficit to one run (5-4).
Sonia Sendoya (New York, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) stepped up next to the plate and tied the game with a single that scored Dolan from second base. Dolan beat the throw to the plate and a fumble by the catcher enabled Sendoya to get to third base safely.
That set up senior Rose Tejada (New York, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) and she hit a long drive over the centerfielder's head to clinch the victory and score Sendoya.
Tejada pitched the complete game victory, allowing only five hits with one strikeout.
In the second game played under the lights, Maher allowed a first inning run, but took control the rest of the way for a 13-1 victory. She allowed only one hit, keeping St. Elizabeth quiet during the second game.
Both Maher and Tejada each scored three runs, recorded two hits, as the Bearcats won the game in mercy rule.
The Bearcats will return to action this Saturday, with a single game against conference rival City Tech. First pitch at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Photo: Lem Peterkin (2005)
