Molloy's dream season to face unbeaten North Georgia

Two entirely different streaks will create an interesting softball matchup Thursday at the NCAA Division II World Series in St. Joseph, Mo. Molloy College will play its 63rd consecutive road game, which might be an NCAA record, but no statistic exists. Molloy's opponent is undefeated North Georgia, which has won 50 straight games, five short of the NCAA record set by Northern Kentucky in 1995.

"It is definitely a challenge,'' Molloy pitcher Kelley Jansen said. "But we have enough talent. We have a strong mentality going in. Playing the best first is definitely going to make it easier to play all the other teams.''

Molloy is 43-19, 11-1 on neutral sites. The eight-team World Series is double-elimination.

North Georgia is 100-5 over two seasons. "My job is to make sure they stay hungry,'' coach Mike Davenport said. "Our kids don't feel like they are invincible. We haven't been perfect 50 times by any means.''

North Georgia qualified for the World Series by beating Lenoir-Rhyne University, 15-0, in the super regional. Molloy is coached by former NYPD Capt. Susan Cassidy-Lyke, who is in her fifth season after leaving Holy Trinity, where she won four state CHSAA titles.

"It's a dream season,'' Cassidy-Lyke said. "I don't want to sound like I thought we'd be in the World Series, but I did say from the beginning that I thought this would be our year . . . didn't expect this, but I knew we'd be good.''

Molloy's offense is led by first baseman Carla Campagna (.373, 15 home runs, 62 RBIs) and third baseman Haley Calderwood (.402, 10, 56). Pitchers Jansen and Meagan Butterworth are a combined 39-15. That is rivaled by North Georgia's Sarah Phillips, who is 43-0 with a 0.85 ERA. Leslee Smith leads the Saints with 13 homers and 57 RBIs.

Molloy's success has come away from its Rockville Centre campus, where construction of new dormitories displaced the team. "We just get into the vans and go wherever we go,'' Cassidy-Lyke said. "We don't feel like we have a disadvantage.''

Calderwood added: "I think it is definitely normal for us now. Now, it is part of our season."

Molloy's mascot is Cassidy-Lyke's 15-month-old son, Jack. He has been a part of the team since he was 13 days old when his mom took him to Florida for spring games. "He's a traveler,'' Cassidy-Lyke said. "He's as excited as we are, though I don't think he gets what we are doing. His bag is always packed, and he is ready to go. And I've got 19 baby-sitters and he loves all of them.''