Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
The Lehman College softball team (0-8 Overall, 0-2 CUNYAC) dropped a pair of conference games Saturday afternoon, falling to the Hunter College Hawks (4-0 CUNYAC, 5-11 Overall) by scores of 13-0 and 11-0 at the South Field in the Bronx.
Prior to the doubleheader, the Lehman College athletic department honored former Lightning softball standout Tara Dempsey in a special pre-game ceremony on the one year anniversary of her passing. Dempsey played for the Lightning from 2000-2003, earning many different athletic accolades while also helping Lehman win a Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference title and qualify for two CUNYAC championship games. Most of all, she treated everyone with respect both on and off of the field. Gathered for the special ceremony were members of Dempsey's family, as well as her co-workers from the New York Police Department as well as her teammates from the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Sports Information Director Stephen Spagnoli read a heartfelt speech about the impact Tara Dempsey had on so many lives. After a few minutes, Spagnoli announced that a commemorative plaque dedicated to Dempsey will be placed in the Lightning dugout in another attempt to keep her memory alive. Closing out the ceremony, Tara's mother, Teresa Dempsey, thanked everybody for attending the ceremony and finished with some kind words for her daughter.
The first game of the afternoon saw the stingy Hawks of Hunter College plate five runs in the top half of the first inning. Catherine Alves doubled off of Lehman starter Natalie Martinez to lead things off, and that was followed by Hunter's Megan McKenna and Jacqueline Frank each drawing walks. Jennifer Damroth then hit a ground ball that went under the glove of Victoria McMahon, allowing Alves and McKenna to score, giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead. Brittany Jackolski then singled in Frank to up Hunter's advantage to 3-0, and another McMahon error compiled with a passed ball by Lehman catcher Vania Cadet helped Hunter plate two additional runs.
After the Lightning failed to score in the bottom of the first inning against Hawks starter Nicole Grilli, Hunter added another run in the top of the second inning thanks to an RBI ground out by Damroth. At that point, Hunter led 6-0. The 6-0 Hunter lead increased in the fourth inning when Christina Baker smashed a three-run homerun. With that, Hunter led 9-0, a lead the team wouldn't relinquish.
Grilli got the victory for Hunter College, pitching a complete game (five innings) and not allowing a run while giving up just two hits, walking none and striking out five batters. Offensively, Baker finished 3-for-4 with a homerun, two runs scored and four RBI's, while Frank finished game one 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks.
Natalie Martinez took the loss for Lehman. Cadet and senior Christy Pasqualicchio accounted for the only two hits of the game for the Lightning – both singles.
In game two of the afternoon, the Hawks jumped out ahead early, plating a run in the top of the first inning against Lehman starter Victoria McMahon as Alves would score on a McMahon wild pitch, giving Hunter the 1-0 lead. After Hawks starter Nicole Grilli shut down Lehman in the bottom of the first, Hunter added two more runs in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-RBI double by Damroth. The Hawks would add for runs in the top of the third inning and three more in the top of the fifth to account for the 10-0 final.
For the Hawks in game two, Grilli hurled the first two innings, allowing no runs and one hit while striking out three batters, and reliever Lauren Stensland pitched the final three frames, allowing no runs on one hit while walking two batters and striking out two. Offensively, Damroth led the way with a 2-for-3 game, smashing two doubles and scoring a run while recorded four RBI's.
Victoria McMahon took the loss for Lehman in game two. Offensively for Lehman, Monqiue Sampson and Genesis Batista picked up the only two Lightning hits for the game – both singles.
The Lightning will return to action Tuesday afternoon as the team battles the New York City College of Technology Yellow Jackets in a non-conference game at the South Field in the Bronx, with game-time scheduled for 3:30pm.
