Purchase, NY
(April 25, 2016) – Purchase softball hosted Senior Day Monday, honoring the program's "Fantastic Four."
The Panthers, which clinched a postseason berth Sunday in a sweep at SJC-BKLYN, recognized
Alyssa Delgado (SR/Rockland, NY),
ToniAnn Licata (SR/Mount Kisco, NY),
Tara Stiansen (SR/Hampton Bays, NY) and
Samantha Alonzo (SR/Wappingers Falls, NY) in a pregame celebration MCed by
Sports Information Director Bobby Ciafardini. Surrounded by friends and family, the four received flowers and tokens of appreciation from the coaching. The four will be honored once again during the program's annual awards banquet on Wednesday.
Ciafardini relayed words put together from first-year
head coach Ryan Doty behind home plate during a touching ceremony on what is the final home for the four. Purchase will travel to No. 3 College of Mount Saint Vincent Wednesday for a 4 p.m. showdown in the conference tournament quarterfinal. That game will be played at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry.
"Del is the type of player who will do whatever it takes," is how Delgado was described by coach.
Licata, an All-Skyline selection in 2014, followed. "ToniAnn is another lead by example player."
Stiansen was commended for saving her best for last. "Her improvements have been incredible," remarked Ciafardini, noting her .415 average, the highest of her Panther career.
Alonzo was the final senior to be introduced. She has well eclipsed the 100-hit and 100-strikeout milestones in her two seasons as a Panther. "Her growth is reflected in her phenomenal turn around in one year."
As for Monday's reschedule, which was postponed due to inclement weather Saturday, St. Joseph's College-LI scored the game's first run in the top of the second on a solo home run by Mallory McClafferty in game one.
Purchase answered back with a single run in the third on an RBI single by
Lisa Kentris (FR/Latham, NY) that plated
Briana Leon (JR/Glen Cove, NY).
The two starting pitchers matched zeroes throughout the game until the fifth, when the Golden Eagles broke through for four runs on three hits and three errors. Among the highlights, Jillian McFadzen and Kristen Arbiter had RBI singles in the frame.
It remained a close game until the last inning. The Golden Eagles added six runs in the top of the seventh to help seal the 11-3 win. Purchase showed some resilience in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs, highlighted by an RBI base hit from Delgado and an RBI groundout on a bunt from Leon.
In game two, the visitors started with an unearned run in the first on an error in the infield.
McClafferty, who homered and won game one, returned to toe the rubber in the finale. She pitched scoreless innings from the first through the third, but in the fourth Kentris, who led off with a single, came around to score following an error, a walk and wild pitch.
The Panthers had cut the deficit to 3-1 in that frame, nearly adding a second run on another wild pitch, but McClafferty tagged the runner (
Shannon Clancy (SO/Babylon, NY)) at the plate.
The SJC-LI starter helped her own cause an inning earlier, blasting her second homer of the day – a two-run shot to increase the lead to 3-0.
Aside from the homer, Panther starter
Nicole Fortuna (JR/New Rochelle, NY) settled down for Purchase in the circle. She pitched scoreless innings in the second and fourth, but would allow another two runs in the fifth.
As the Golden Eagles did in the opener, the late runs helped them close the victory. The Panthers showed their mettle again in the bottom of the seventh, recording three hits and scoring one run in the last inning, but McClafferty regrouped and got the final out with two outs and a runner in scoring position to complete the 5-2 victory.
The wins improved SJC-LI to 21-13, including 13-5 in the league. The loss drops Purchase 19-11 overall and 7-11 in Skyline.
