Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Philadelphia, PA – (3/16/2012) – Queens College visited campus for Opening Day softball and took two games from Chestnut Hill College, winning the opener 11-1 in six innings and the nightcap 4-2. Freshman shortstop Caitlin O'Neill (Elkton, MD) launched her first collegiate homerun in the second game to help give junior pitcher Cassie Benson (Rosamond, CA) a chance at the win, while freshmen shortstop Brittany Hoban (Toms River, NJ) knocked in the Griffins only run in the opener.
 
Queens College (5-1) came out swinging ending the first game of the twin bill early, 11-1 in six innings. In the second game, O'Neill's homerun to left field scored Hoban who opened the affair with a double to left center, 2-0. The Knights got one back in the top of the second inning with a sacrifice fly, 2-1, before taking the lead in the fourth inning with a homerun and an run-scoring single, 3-2. Benson allowed one more in the fifth inning, 4-2, but the Chestnut Hill College (0-2) bats went quietly in their final six-bats to allow the Knights to complete the sweep.
 
Freshman shortstop Samantha Mattsson (Staten Island, NY) and freshman right fielder Monique Roberge (New Hyde Park, NY) homered in the opener for the Knights, while sophomore center fielder Melissa Natale (Yaphank, NY) went 3-for-3 with a run-batted-in (RBI). Freshman pitcher Isabelle Yaroch (Annandale, VA) earned with win (2-1) in the first game, allowing one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out six in six innings. In the second game, sophomore pitcher Nicole Turato (Garden City, NY) collected the win (3-0), allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out seven in seven innings.
 
Hoban had the most success for the Griffin, going 2-for-5 (.400) with two doubles and an RBI in the doubleheader. Rush lost the opener (0-1), allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits and five walks, while striking out five in six innings. Benson lost game two (0-1), allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks, while striking out one in seven innings.
 
The softball team opens their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) this weekend with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Concordia College (NY) on Sunday, March 18.