New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE (Game 1)

BOX SCORE (Game 2)

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…New Jersey City University freshman right-hander ANDREA DELUCREZIA (Belleville, NJ/St. Mary’s-Rutherford) went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and allowed only three hits in seven innings on the mound, as the Gothic Knights defeated the College of Staten Island, 6-4, in the second game of a non-conference softball game at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. In the opening game, CSI took advantage of five NJCU errors in the top of the seventh, and scored six times in the frame to break a 2-2 deadlock, by prevailing 8-2.

               

NJCU improves to 4-7 overall this season with the doubleheader split, while CSI falls to 3-8. Staten Island leads the all-time series, which began in 1981, 12-11, but NJCU has won nine of the last 12 meetings.

               

In the two games on Saturday, Delucrezia only allowed two earned runs over a combined 14 innings of work.

 

               

In game one, CSI won and scored eight times, despite only accumulating four hits. Junior right-handed pitcher Christina D’Arpa (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) earned the victory to improve to 2-1 on the season, allowing one earned run and five hits in seven innings, with five K’s and two walks. She also was the Dolphins’ top offensive player, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Sophomore centerfielder Michele Mazza (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) scored twice.

               

NJCU received a 2-for-3 effort and two runs from senior leftfielder ERIKA CUBILE (Jersey City, NJ/Academy of Saint Aloysius). Senior first baseman LISA ASHBURN (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) tallied two RBIs in a 1-for-3 showing, and junior third baseman VANESSA SOLARES (Palisades Park, NJ/Palisades Park) was 2-for-3.

               

CSI scored twice in the top of the first on an RBI triple by D’Arpa, who later scored on a sacrifice fly. The Knights got on the board for the first time in the fourth inning on an Ashburn RBI groundout, scoring Cubile. NJCU evened the game at 2-2 in the sixth when Ashburn lifted a double to center, scoring Cubile who led off with a single.

               

But, the game fell apart for the Knights in the top of the seventh as 12 Dolphins batted, and CSI scored six times with only one hit, courtesy of five NJCU errors. D’Arpa, who reached on an error to open the inning, scored the eventual winning run, and five more Dolphins followed her around the bases as the Knights struggled defensively, after playing flawless defense in the first six innings.

               

Delucrezia took the loss, allowing only two earned runs (eight total) and four hits in seven innings, with one strikeout and three walks.

 

               

SUSIE MATSUTANI" src="/images/softball/2006/3/25/03-30-05%20Susie%20Matsutani%202.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>In game two, Delucrezia was NJCU’s offensive star, while the Knights also received a 3-for-3 outing from Ashburn. Senior second baseman KRISTY SKOWRONSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Holy Family Academy) was 2-for-4 with two runs and sophomore shortstop SUSIE MATSUTANI (Gallup, NM/Gallup) scored three times.

               

Delucrezia improved to 4-7 on the mound, allowing just three hits and no earned runs (four total) in seven innings, walking and striking out four.

               

Junior second baseman Brianne Russo (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) launched a game-tying three-run homerun to left field in the fourth inning, and finished 1-for-2 with the three ribbies.

               

NJCU took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Delucrezia, to score Matsutani, who walked. The Knights built a 3-0 margin by adding two more runs in the third, including another RBI single by Delucrezia to score Matsutani, who reached on an error.

               

After a one-out error in the fourth extended the inning, and CSI added its first hit of the game, Russo lifted a pitch about 220 feet to left field to knot the game at 3-3.

               

However, NJCU quickly regained a 6-3 lead with a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning. An infield single by Ashburn scored sophomore center fielder MELINA VEINTIMILLA (Forked River, NJ/Academy of St. Aloysius), who singled, and Delucrezia provided the winning margin with a two-out single up the middle, scoring Matsutani (fielder’s choice) and Skowronski (single), for a 6-3 cushion. CSI got one run back in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Mazza, before falling, 6-4.

               

CSI sophomore right-hander Nicole Pignatelli (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) suffered the loss for the Dolphins, allowing six runs (five earned) and nine hits with two K’s and two walks in 3.2 innings of work. Sophomore righty Katie Rossetti (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmunds) pitched a perfect 2.1 innings in relief with one strikeout.

 

NJCU returns to action on Monday, March 27 at 3 p.m. with a non-conference doubleheader against Centenary College in Hackettstown, NJ. CSI hosts Ursinus College in a doubleheader on Sunday at 12 p.m.