The Baruch College Bearcats softball team opened their conference schedule with blowout victories against Brooklyn College Bulldogs (0-8, 0-4) and Lehman College Lightning (2-4, 0-2 CUNYAC).

Baruch tied for first place with fellow conference undefeated team and rival Hunter College Hawks (5-7, 4-0 CUNYAC) in the CUNY Athletic Conference standings before their doubleheader on April 9.

In their CUNYAC opening match, the Bearcats pummeled Brooklyn and won in six innings, 11–2.

The Bearcats scored in every inning but, the team offense did their best work in the second inning, where six players hit at least twice.

The Bearcats also stole six bases, with Megan Bell stealing two.

Caroline Gallagher (3-1) earned the win after pitching six innings, allowing three hits, two runs, striking out three and only walked three batters. At the plate, she was 2-4 with two RBIs.

Baruch scored in first place after Carly Quint flew out to center for a sacrifice fly, scoring Bell who reached base on an error.

Quint finished the game 2-3 including a double, triple and a stolen base. Her five RBIs were a career high for the freshman.

Brooklyn scored a pair in the fifth after Gallagher allowed two baserunners to lead off the inning. Both scored on a pitcher’s error.

The second match was also lopsided, with Baruch winning the five-inning game, 12–4.

The Bearcats scored in all but the last inning, including six runs in the fourth.

Four Baruch batters earned an extra-base hit, including Quint, who homered in the fourth.

Julia Cuttone (2-2) won the game after pitching five innings, allowing seven hits, four runs and striking out five.

Bell scored in the first after advancing to third on an error by the opposing first baseman. Bridget Campanelli also scored later that inning after being batted in by a Jordyn Schwartz single.

The following day, the Bearcats faced the Lehman Lightning in another doubleheader.

The first match was Baruch’s first softball home game in almost three years where they won after six innings, 8–0.

The team scored a run in all but one inning. Five players stole a base in the game.

Quint (4-3) earned the win after pitching six innings and allowing four hits while striking out 11.

She also batted 3-4 with a triple and three RBI, tied for the most in the game with Emilia Zakoscielny who went 2-3 with two doubles.

Cuttone led the game off with a walk and advanced to third after Bell’s sacrifice bunt. Quint singled up the middle to score Cuttone and would later reach home when Zakoscielny doubled to left field.

In the only scoreless and hitless inning, Schwartz walked and stole second before Gallagher flew out to center field.

To end the game, Zakoscielny doubled to left field to score Campanelli and Quint.

In the second game, the Bearcats batted around Lehman’s Jessica Perez in the second to score six runs and scored a pair more in the fifth to win the five-inning game, 8–0.

The Bearcats had an opportunity to score in the first with runners on second and third, but Perez got out of the jam after Campanelli lined out and Zakoscielny struck out looking.

In the second, Baruch overwhelmed the opposing pitcher, loading the bases before recording the first out. Amber Rivera singled to score Schwartz for the first run of the day.

Cuttone was then hit by pitch to score Gia Cerulli.

Quint then hit an inside-the-park home run to clear the basepaths and put the Bearcats up by six runs.

In the fifth, Zakoscielny singled up the middle to score Campanelli. Zakoscielny scored after Gallagher reached base on an error by Lehman’s left fielder.

Gallagher earned her second win in two days after pitching five innings and allowing two hits and fanning five.

After their match at Hunter College, the Bearcats will travel to Westfield State University (4-14, 1-1 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference) to play in a non-conference doubleheader.