@OW_Panthers Softball opens season at New Rochelle

Lauren Bloom went the distance in game one to log her 17th-career complete game. Photo courtesy of Old Westbury

Old Westbury remains on the road Saturday (Mar. 16) with a non-conference twin bill against York College

Courtesy of Old Westbury Sports Information (written by Harris Rappel)

NEW ROCHELLE, NY --- (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) SUNY Old Westbury softball opened the 2019 season Tuesday evening with 7-1 and 11-6 non-conference road losses against the College of New Rochelle Blue Angels (2-0) from Flowers Park in New Rochelle, New York.  The Panthers (0-2) entered with 11-straight wins versus New Rochelle dating back to the 2005 campaign.

Game 1: New Rochelle 7, Old Westbury 1
With runners at the corners, Johanna Metz ripped a two-out single to right field to drive home Amanda Neenan for Old Westbury's 1-0 first-inning lead.

Panther starter Lauren Bloom (L, 0-1: 6 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 3 ER, BB, 5 K) was unlucky in the second frame as a costly throwing error by second baseman Isabel Febo advanced Valerie Romano across home plate for the equalizer.  Two batters later, a costly passed ball by Samantha Arcese allowed Kassandra Register (2-for-2, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB) to score the game-winning run for New Rochelle's 2-1 advantage.

Register also homered in the fourth and closed out the scoring in the seventh with a RBI single.

Bloom registered her 17th-career complete game while Gaby Hay (W, 1-0, 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 8) claimed New Rochelle's win.

Game 2: New Rochelle 11, Old Westbury 6
Jessica Schwartz drew a two-out bases loaded walk from Amanda Blair (ND: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, K) to score Bloom for the game's initial run in the opening inning.  Nicole Baron (2-for-4, 2 RBI, R, 2 SB) then delivered a two-run double to drive home Metz and Schwartz for Old Westbury's 3-0 lead.

The Blue Angels scored one in the first off Baron (L, 0-1: 6 IP, 10 H, 11 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 6 K) with the Panthers committing two errors including a leadoff four-base miscue by second baseman Amelia Cariddi.

New Rochelle collected three hits to score three runs in the second to take a 4-3 lead.

Trailing 5-3 in the fourth, a wild pitch by Romano (3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and an error by third baseman Ariana Rentas scored Neenan (2-for-3) and Bloom (1-for-3, 2 R, BB) to knot the game at 5-all.

Old Westbury pulled in front (6-5) in the fifth with Baron singling and stealing two bases before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jennifer Lobody.

Hay singled and scored the game-tying run on a three-base error by right fielder Schwartz in the bottom of the frame.

The Blue Angels put the game away in the sixth with a two-run double by Samantha Guiterrez (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 R) to score Keyceana Moots (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB) and Sienna Stockton (0-for-1, 2 R, 2 BB) for the go-ahead runs.  New Rochelle scored five runs on three hits and two errors in the inning to settle the 11-6 win.

Baron pitched her 12th-career complete game while Hay tossed 2.2 innings hitless innings of relief and fanned five batters to snag New Rochelle's win.

YORK COLLEGE CARDINALS UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: Old Westbury closes its four-game road trip Saturday (Mar. 16) in Bellerose, New York with a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against the York College Cardinals (0-0) from Padavan-Preller Field.  The Panthers are 11-0 against the Cardinals since 2007.