Hawks Grab Title and First NCAA Bid

Hunter College used a 10-run second inning to take a commanding 11-0 lead over Lehman College and held on for a 13-8 victory in the 2001 CUNYAC Softball Championship at the College of Staten Island today. The win sends the Hawks, the Tournament’s fourth seed, to the team’s first-ever NCAA Championship appearance.

Hunter (18-14) scored a run in the top of the first via a leadoff walk by junior outfielder Jezel Rodriguez (Bronx, NY), before the monstrous second stanza. After scoring six runs off of three hits and three walks in the inning, junior designated hitter Shevon Collins hit an inside the park Grand Slam into the rightfield corner to provide an 11-point cushion.

“My hat’s off to the competitors in this league,” said first-year Hunter head coach Betsy Hipple. “It was an incredible game with CSI on Wednesday (in the semifinals where the Hawks won 4-3) and today’s game was great. I knew that Lehman would comeback and fight.

The Lightning (19-10) clawed back with a six run third that tested the mettle of senior hurler Andrea Perlas, as she faced ten batters in the inning. Freshman third baseman Stephanie Rodriguez (Bronx, NY) had the big hit in the inning, a two-run double to close the scoring gap to 11-6. Rodriguez finished 2-4 on the day. Senior second baseman Kim Santoiemma was 2-3 with an RBI in her first CUNYAC Championship game. But the young Lightning squad battled nerves all afternoon and couldn’t mount another serious scoring run. The Lightning haven’t been in the CUNY finale since 1985 before today.

Perlas (Pompey, NY) was named the Tournament’s Most Valuable Player, finishing the Championship with a 3-0 record, hurling 19 innings and giving up only four earned runs (2 today) and striking out 12 batters. In the final, freshman second baseman Lauren Manning (Brooklyn, NY) scored three runs for the Hawks and Rodriguez, a three-time CUNYAC all-star, finished 1-3 with two runs and an RBI.

It’s an incredible feeling to win today,” said Perlas a four-year starter for Hunter at both second base and on the mound. “To be able to win CUNY and go to the NCAA’s in my final year is a complete thrill.”

The Hawks will begin the NCAA Tournament in the East Regional at a site to be determined next Thursday through Sunday, May 11-14.

CUNYAC

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