Garden City, N.Y. - With a late comeback from the Purple Knights in Game 2, the Adelphi University softball team split its doubleheader against Saint Michael's College on Sunday afternoon at Janet L. Ficke Field, by the final scores of 5-3 and 4-3.

Game 1: Adelphi 5, Saint Michael's 3
For the second day in a row, the Panthers were designated as the road team in Garden City, batting first for both games. 

Tori Parente and Zee Zee Shreter tallied two of the 'Cats three hits in the second inning, scoring the first two runs of the day. 

Starting pitcher Jenna Plue started the game strong, allowing one hit and a walk through the first couple frames. Following fanning three of the four batters she faced in the third, Adelphi began to settle in. 

Saint Michael's responded with a strong offensive output in the fourth, with two doubles and a single putting three on the board when all was set and done. 

The Panthers were able to slap together hits each inning, but could never quite capitalize on their momentum. In the sixth frame, that changed after Angeline Montañez's game-tying single which was then followed by a double steal off the innovative base-running of Shreter. 

Despite two singles in the Purple Knights' half of the inning, relief pitcher Lily Kenney sat down two via strikeout to keep the crowd at ease. 

Brianna Pearson started the seventh with a double, and two groundouts, the latter from Reeghan McCarthy bringing her home, tacked on an important insurance run. 

Kenney went on to get the three outs she needed to secure the early victory for the 'Cats, with her line ending at four innings pitched and four strikeouts. 

Game 2: Adelphi 3, Saint Michael's 4
The later action saw the Panthers hold onto an early lead thanks to solid pitching from starter Tori Parente.

Two double plays ended each half of the first frame, leading Pearson to start off the second. The power hitter went deep once more, striking first on behalf of the Brown and Gold. 

Starting the third was Angelina Kellogg with a triple down the right field line. Jordyn Pasqueralli matched the slugging energy with a double to score her and double the margin on the Purple Knights. 

Courtney Murphy laid down a bunt looking to take advantage of her speed, and a dropped ball at first base allowed the fellow speedster Pasqueralli to advance to the plate before the five-hit inning came to a close. 

Parente continued to pitch to contact and keep the opposing bats quiet through five, increasing her strikeout total to four on two hits. The Purple Knights began to tee off in the sixth however, as two hits to the outfield applied immediate pressure.

Two infield singles, with the latter sparked by a collision at first base forcing the ball to pop out, tied the game within a blink of an eye. Parente then grabbed two outs before Kenney came in relief for the second time this afternoon. The sophomore then registered the game's second consecutive strikeout with as many pitchers to end the frame. 

Even with two outs in the seventh, Pasqueralli's walk to start the inning was enough to advance her to third after two more batters. Makayla Comer was then hit by a pitch to make Saint Michael's sweat, but a very close groundout from Pearson sent the contest to the bottom half. 

After popping up the first batter of the inning, Jenna Devens then launched a ball past the scoreboard in left center field, ending the afternoon on a high note in walk-off fashion for Saint Michael's. 

Head Coach Katie Apostolopoulos and the Panthers will be back in action on Thursday, April 3 against Wilmington (Del.) in a rematch of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 NCAA East Super Regional. First pitch from Janet L. Ficke Field is set for 2 p.m.