EWING, NJ...The College of New Jersey and New Jersey City University each concluded their 2006 softball regular seasons on Saturday, as TCNJ swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader from the Gothic Knights, 13-1 and 10-0, at Lions’ Park. Each game was called after five innings due to the eight-run rule.
TCNJ snapped a six-game losing streak, finishing the year 25-15 and 8-10 in the NJAC. NJCU (9-28, 0-18) dropped its 20th straight game, following a 9-8 start. With the win TCNJ advanced to the six-team NJAC tournament as the No. 6 seed.
For TCNJ, sophomore second baseman/shortstop Jonna Mahalchik (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) was a combined 4-for-6 in the two games with three runs. Junior third baseman Tara Harrigan (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs in the twinbill. Junior designated player Vicki Blevins (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs and junior outfielder Kristin Boyer (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) scored four times.
NJCU sophomore catcher
VANESSA NICOLICH (Cliffside Park, NJ/St. Mary’s-Rutherford) was a combined 3-for-4 in the two games.
GAME 1: 4/29/2006 at Ewing, NJ
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New Jersey City..... 010 00 - 1 3 5 (9-27)
The College of NJ... 822 1X - 13 13 0 (24-15)
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WP-H. Hoffman (14-6) LP-Delucrezia (9-20) T-1:16 A-50 HR TCNJ - V. Blevins
In the opening game, the Lions tallied 13 hits, led by senior first baseman Kelly Quigley (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes), who was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, and Mahalchik, who was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run.
Junior rightfielder Katie Davenport (River Edge, NJ/River Dell Regional) and Harrigan were each 2-for-2 with two RBIs and one run, while junior designated player Julianne Lajiness (Monroe Township, NJ/Notre Dame) and Boyer each scored twice.
Nicolich was 2-for-2 with a second-inning double in game one, before scoring the Knights’ only run on a wild pitch.
TCNJ opened an 8-0 lead in the first inning when it sent 12 batters to the plate, before adding two runs in the second and third frames. Blevins lifted a homerun for TCNJ’s final run in the fourth inning.
Junior
Heather Hoffman (Annandale, NJ/Immaculata) went the distance giving up just three hits to improve to 14-6. Freshman right-hander
ANDREA DELUCREZIA (Belleville, NJ/St. Mary’s-Rutherford) took the loss. Of the 13 runs TCNJ scored, only six were earned as NJCU committed five errors. She allowed 13 hits, and fanned and walked three.
GAME 2: 4/29/2006 at Ewing, NJ
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The College of NJ... 212 32 - 10 14 1 (25-15)
New Jersey City..... 000 00 - 0 2 1 (9-28)
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WP-J. Lajiness (8-6) LP-Delucrezia (9-21) T-1:07 A-50
In game two, TCNJ opened a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and scored in each frame, including three in the fourth. Lajiness was the benefactor of the offense, and tossed a five-inning two-hit shutout to improve to 8-6 on the mound for the Lions. She scattered two singles, struck out six and walked one.
Offensively for TCNJ, Mahalchik was 2-for-3 with two runs while Blevins and Harrigan were each 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run. Boyer was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. The Lions also received two RBIs from freshman pinch hitter Carlyn Perrotty (Boonton Township, NJ/Mountain Lakes).
Nicolich and Delucrezia each had a single for NJCU. Delucrezia took the loss (9-21), allowing four earned runs and six hits, walking one in 3.0 innings. Nicolich allowed five runs and eight hits in 2.0 innings of relief.
NJCU sophomore shortstop
SUSIE MATSUTANI (Gallup, NM/Gallup) raised her fielding percentage to a remarkable .991 with one error in 107 chances.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
