Purchase, NY (March 22, 2016) – Purchase softball bounced back from its first losses of the season Sunday by adding two more wins to their win column Tuesday at home.

The Panthers soundly defeated visiting John Jay College in both ends of a non-conference doubleheader, taking the opener 9-1 in five innings and completing the sweep in the bottom of the fifth in game two, courtesy of a two-RBI, walk-off double by catcher Briana Leon (JR/Glen Cove, NY).

In the process, Purchase improved to 6-2 in the early season. The Panthers had lost their first two games of the season Sunday at Farmingdale State.

The Panthers, refocused by dropping a pair to the Rams over the weekend, jumped all over the Bloodhounds in the opener.  

Purchase starter Nicole Fortuna (JR/New Rochelle, NY) nearly pitched around a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, but surrendered a single run. Although the Panthers didn't score in their half of the first, Purchase plated five in the second, highlighted by a Mary Adams (JR/Milton, PA) RBI single and an inside the park, grand slam home run by Fortuna. The line drive to the right center-field gap broke the game open.

With Purchase holding a 5-1 lead, Fortuna settled in nicely in the circle, hurling scoreless innings in the second, third, fourth and fifth. She finished off her third win of the season with eight strikeouts.

The Panthers added four runs in the fourth, scoring runs on RBIs from Tara Stiansen (SR/Hampton Bays, NY), Shannon Clancy (SO/Babylon, NY), Antonina Fiore (SO/Mount Sinai, NY) and Leon. Fiore's double brought home the ninth run of the game – the last run the hosts would need to seal the run-ruled win.

Fortuna, who pitched around another bases loaded jam in the fifth, allowed three hits in game one – all to the top of the order for John Jay.

In game one, Purchase was led offensively by Fortuna, who went 2-for-2 with four RBI and one run scored. Adams also collected two of the team's 10 hits.

In the twin bill defeat, John Jay dropped to 0-2 on the spring. The Bloodhounds' season opener was previously postponed, leaving today's action as their first games of 2016.

John Jay was limited to two hits in game two as Fortuna improved to 4-0. She struck out four and walked one en route to a complete-game shutout.

The Panthers scored three apiece in the first and second before Leon's heroics – Fortuna's battery mate – in the bottom of the fifth.

Fortuna grounded out to shortstop in the first inning to score Stiansen for a quick 1-0 advantage. Adams followed with a two-RBI single.

In the second, an unearned run allowed Purchase's fourth run to come across. Rookie Kelly Hayes (FR/Staten Island, NY) then smashed an RBI double, scoring Fortuna. Clancy capped the inning with an RBI single.

Stiansen and Fortuna reached in the fifth. And then, with runners on first and second, Leon belted a gapper to end the game, plating Stiansen and Fortuna for the 9-1 win and sweep of John Jay. 

In game two, the first four hitters at the top of the order (Stiansen, Fortuna, Leon and Hayes) for Purchase each collected two hits apiece. Leon and Adams paced Purchase with two RBI.