The Baruch Bearcats and the SUNY Purchase Panthers split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, with Baruch serving as the home team on the scoreboard at Purchase.
Game 1: Baruch 8, Purchase 0 (6 innings)
Baruch opened the day with a dominant 8–0 victory, powered by a complete-game shutout from Reina Castro-Johnson.
Castro-Johnson was in full control, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out four over six innings to earn her first win of the season.
The Bearcats' offense set the tone early with a five-run first inning. Ava Lavery and Jordyn Schwartz each delivered RBI singles to highlight the outburst. Baruch added another run in the fourth when Mina Barriga singled home Jules Wychunas, who had tripled earlier in the inning.
The game ended in the sixth via mercy rule after Mia Faddah drove in a run with a single and Lavery followed with an RBI double to cap the scoring at 8–0.
Wychunas scored three runs in the victory, while Lavery went a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two stolen bases. For Purchase, Arielle Reddick led the offense with two singles and two stolen bases.
Game 2: Purchase 9, Baruch 5 (11 innings)
The second game turned into a marathon, lasting over three hours before Purchase secured a 9–5 win in 11 innings to earn the split.
Baruch struck first on an RBI single by Barriga to score Wychunas, but the Panthers responded with two runs in the third and three more in the fifth to take a 5–1 lead.
The score held until the Bearcats' final at-bat, when they staged a dramatic rally. Baruch scored four runs on five hits and an error to tie the game at 5–5. Lavery delivered another RBI double, Leilani Jimenez added an RBI groundout, and Grace Osuch contributed an RBI single before later scoring the tying run on an error.
With international tiebreaker rules placing a runner on second base from the ninth inning on, both teams battled through extra innings. Purchase ultimately broke through with four runs in the top of the 11th to take a 9–5 lead.
Baruch threatened in the bottom half with two runners reaching base, but the Panthers held on to secure the win.
Castro-Johnson was outstanding in relief, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to keep the Bearcats in contention. Mia Faddah went 3-for-5 at the plate, while Melanie Robles added two hits and made a key diving catch in the outfield. Reddick again led Purchase, finishing with three hits and two RBI.
The Bearcats will return to action Sunday morning with an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader against the St. Joseph's Long Island Golden Eagles in Patchogue on Long Island.
