Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2 

Old Westbury, NY (Mar. 22, 2014) – The Purchase College women's softball team earned a hard-fought split Saturday at Old Westbury, opening their conference schedule in the win column, 13-12, before dropping the finale, 4-2.

Purchase captured the victory in game one with a thrilling one-run decision before Old Westbury (1-2, 1-1 Skyline) topped the Panthers (3-1, 1-1 Skyline) in the second game.   

In the opener, both teams combined for five lead changes with Old Westbury (grabbing the first lead on a two-run inning in the opening frame.  Alexis Ferrero broke the scoring ice with an infield ground out to score Samantha Howley for the initial run followed by a run-scoring single by Corrine Protasiewicz, which doubled the home advantage. 

Purchase answered with three runs in the second and one more in the third to grab a two-run lead before Old Westbury responded in the bottom of the third to tie the game.

Purchase jumped back in front in the fourth inning with five runs off four hits to grab a 9-4 lead.  Old Westbury replied with an RBI single to make it a four-run game in the home half of the fourth. 

Purchase tacked on three more runs in the sixth before Old Westbury put together a monster seven-run sixth inning to tie the game at 12-all. 
Old Westbury scored five of the seven runs off bases loaded walks and the other two coming via RBI singles.

Following a pair of walks by Old Westbury starter Nicole DeCola in the seventh, Christine Leo (SR/Monroe, CT) delivered a single that scored Christina Sanderson (SR/Schaghticoke, NY) for the game-winning run as Old Westbury went down one-two-three in the bottom of the frame. 

Despite allowing seven runs on four hits and six walks, Nicole Fortuna (FR/New Rochelle, NY) snagged Purchase's win in relief of starter Leo. She is 2-0 to start the season.

ToniAnn Licata (JR/Mount Kisco, NY) led the offense. She went 3 for 5at the plate in addition to three RBI and two runs scored. 

In the finale, Old Westbury jumped ahead in the third inning on a triple down the left field line to score the initial run.

Purchase got on the board in the sixth when a wild pitch allowed pinch runner Juliet-Rain Pagan (SR/Bronx, NY) to score and a throwing error caused Mary Adams (FR/Milton, PA) to score the second run on the play. 

Old Westbury answered in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-2 advantage.  

DeCola (1-1) bounced back to record her first career win, tossing seven strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out five. 

Jennifer Jean paced Old Westbury with a 2-for-2 game at the plate, including two RBI, two runs scored, two walks and one stolen base. 

Fortuna (2-1) was tagged with Purchase's loss, working four innings before Licata took over to close out the final two.  Fortuna was charged with three runs while Licata took the other run. 

Licata hit 2 for 2 with a walk to carry the big bat for Purchase in game two.

-Old Westbury Sports Information Contributed to this report