Bronx, NY - It was a fitting final home game for the John Jay softball team.
After standout pitcher
Jailene Santiago was recognized as the Bloodhounds' lone senior, it was a battle between her and her Old Westbury counterparts in the circle on Tuesday night.
Seven innings were not enough to decide a winner at Bahoshy Stadium as
Alyssa Cadolino was the hero for the Bloodhounds with her eighth inning RBI single. John Jay closed out the non-conference regular season slate with the 1-0 win over the Panthers.
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Santiago was dialed in from the first pitch she threw. The senior did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and allowed just two on the day. She struck out eight of the first nine Old Westbury batters she faced.
The Panthers starting pitcher, Taylor Murphy, offered a great outing in response - holding the Bloodhound hitters to just one hit through the first three innings.
John Jay put runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings but failed to convert, leaving three left on base in both innings.
Santiago maintained her consistency in the circle into the sixth inning, giving up just two hits in the game to that point, and keeping the visitors scoreless.
The Bloodhounds entered the bottom of the seventh inning of the scoreless match-up with the opportunity to walk the game off in regulation. Facing the Panthers third pitcher of the evening, Hailey Ragozine, the hosts came out swinging.
Sydney Bankston was able to work a full count as the opening hitter of the bottom frame and made contact on the sixth pitch of the at-bat to plant one in left field for a single.
Kayla Sauers entered as a pinch hitter for
Angelina Schoelles and used the bunt to advance Bankston to second base, but was thrown out at first in the process. Bankston was on the move again two pitches later, as
Kelly Fajardo logged her first hit of the game with a single past second base.
Ciaran Iglesias stepped in to pinch hit for
Jordyn Prince with runners on first and third bases and one out. Iglesias saw three balls before Bankston darted home on a failed hit and run attempt for the second out of the inning. Iglesias swung through the next two pitches to send the game to extra innings.
Santiago was consistent even into the additional frame, striking out a pair of Panther hitters and sitting the three that stepped into the batters box down in order.
The Bloodhound hitters faced a second opportunity to walk the game off with the top of the order due up in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Elika Rodrigues swung at the first pitch from Ragozine, bouncing one past the Panther shortstop for a single.
Maleea Gallaspy replaced Rodrigues at first after Rodrigues was thrown out at second base for the first out of the inning.
Rylea Sandel put the Bloodhounds in scoring position, swinging at the first pitch again, parking this offering in shallow right field and allowing Gallaspy to advance to third base.
Old Westbury elected to walk the cleanup hitter, Santiago, to load the bases for Cadolino. She chopped at a pair of pitches to keep her at-bat alive with a full count and finally found her pitch, driving a ball through the infield. The ball bounced just past the shortstop and allowed Gallaspy to score easily to earn the Bloodhounds a 1-0 in the home regular season finale.
Cadolino was one of just four Bloodhounds with a hit on Tuesday night and stands alone with Sandel as the only two with multiple hits on the night.
Santiago moves to 12-4 on the season with the win, pitching the complete game shutout and allowing just two hits. The graduate student struck out 12 Panthers and did not concede a walk in eight innings of work.
NEXT UP: The Bloodhounds conclude with the 2024 regular season with a CUNYAC doubleheader against Lehman in The Bronx on Friday, May 3 at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
