Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

New York, NY (Mar. 21, 2012) – Women's softball traveled to Randall's Island Wednesday and split with host John Jay College.

The Bloodhounds (1-3) captured the opener, 6-5, but Purchase rebounded and took the nightcap 9-3.

In the first game, John Jay's Briggitte Martinez singled through the left side with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to drive home Kaylee Fry for the game-winning run. The Bloodhounds led 5-1 after five innings, before four John Jay errors in the top of the sixth released the floodgates to four runs by the Panthers to tie the score and change the complexion of the game.

Christine Leo (SO/Monroe, CT) started for Purchase in game one and although she took the loss, head coach Albana Krasniqi said she pitched well, and “well enough to win.” Leo also continued her impressive start at the plate, going 2 for 4 with an RBI. Alyse LaPadula (SR/New Rochelle, NY) and Juliet-Rain Pagan (SO/Bronx, NY) also dazzled at the plate for Purchase, each recording two hits apiece.

LaPadula and Pagan were also defensive stars, with LaPadula holding down the hot corner, third base, and Pagan filling in and manning first base with Leo on the hill. 

Defensively, Abigail Katz (JR Livingston, NJ), Alexis Vallario (JR/Yonkers, NY) and Mariel Perez (SR/Queens, NY) had terrific games in the field. Katz played well at shortstop, while Perez has now moved to center field and taken to the transition. Vallario also continued her impressive play behind the plate.

For John Jay, Lana Kovac picked up the game one win, going the distance and allowing five runs (two earned) on nine hits with seven strikeouts.

In game two, the Panthers scored three runs in the first and another three in the second to take a large lead. The Bloodhounds scored a run in the bottom of the first and another in the second and they trailed 6-2 after two innings.
Purchase scored again in the top of the fourth to go ahead 7-2. The Panthers never looked back, holding the Bloodhounds to only four hits in the contest.  

Rookie Cassandra Armstrong (SO Schenectady, NY) earned her first collegiate win. The starter allowed two runs on four hits and pitched a masterpiece.

Offensively, Leo led the way by going 3 for 4 with three RBI. Three others finished with two hits apiece, including Katz and Rachael Popovic (SR/Baldwin, NY) – batting first and second, respectively – and Armstrong, who did damage at the plate in support of her own cause on the mound. Lindsay Froman (SR/Medina, NY), LaPadula, Pagan, Armstrong and Popovic each finished with one RBI apiece in game two. LaPadula tripled in the win. Leo and Froman each had doubles in game two.   

The Panthers (2-4) will now return home this weekend and open their conference schedule against Farmingdale State.

-John Jay Sports Information Contributed to this report