BRONX, N.Y.— The NCAA era began on Sunday for the Yeshiva University softball team as a well attended crowd was on hand for the Maccabees first game in NCAA Division III history. Yeshiva fell short though in both games as the Maccabees were swept in a doubleheader against Purchase College 16-1 and 8-0 at Murphy Field on the campus of Fordham University.
Yeshiva is now 0-2 on the young season while Purchase College is 2-0.
Pitcher
Erin Potasnick took the ball and tossed the first pitch at 2:33 p.m. right down the middle for a called strike. From there, the visiting Panthers proceeded to walk thirteen times as Purchase's 16 runs came on 10 hits.
Rachel Mirsky got the first hit and run batted in, in the NCAA era for the Maccabees when she ripped a single through the left side in the bottom of the first inning to drive in
Merav Saden Barach for Yeshiva's first NCAA run.
The first inning run was the lone run the Maccabees would score on the afternoon. Purchase scored three runs in the top of the first and nine in the top of the second to lead 12-1 after two innings. The Panthers then scored two more in the third, one more in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 16-1 lead.
Yeshiva had four hits in game one, all singles, with one each coming off the bat of Mirsky, Saden Barach,
Shana Rimon and
Eliana Levy.
Purchase was led by Alexandra Prescia who was 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Samantha Alonzo went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI.
Potasnick pitched 5.0 innings and allowed 16 runs (nine earned) while striking out four.
Nicole Fortuna earned the game one win for Purchase after pitching 5.0 innings and allowing one run on four hits, while striking out 10.
In game two, Purchase, playing as the home team, scored five runs in the bottom of the first to lead 5-0 after one inning. The Panthers extended their lead to 6-0 after scoring once in the third. Then Purchase scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to win the game by eight runs.
Yeshiva had two hits in the nightcap with one coming off the bat of Mirsky and the other by
Liat Wasserman.
Purchase was led by ToniAnn Licata who was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run and a RBI.
Mirsky suffered the game two loss after pitching 4.1 innings and allowing eight runs (six earned) on five hits, while striking out two.
Alonzo earned the game two win for Purchase. She pitched 5.0 innings and allowed no runs on two hits, while striking out 11.
