New Jersey City University Athletics

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Sophomore right-handed pitcher/first baseman LACEY SKOWRONSKI (Bayonne, NJ/Holy Family Academy) crushed a pair of homeruns and freshman designated player CAITLIN LUNDBERG (Jersey City, NJ/St. Dominic Academy) belted a pinch-hit grand slam as New Jersey City University celebrated Senior Day by defeating Richard Stockton College at home for the first time since 1995 and swept the Ospreys for the first time ever, as NJCU won a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader, 9-3 and 8-7, Saturday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.

 

Senior shortstop SUSIE MATSUTANI (Gallup, NM/Gallup), the lone senior on the club, also banged out a homerun as NJCU hit four homers in the two games. After hitting only one homer in 2007, the Knights smacked a single-season record 15 homers in 2008. Entering the twinbill with 11 this year, the four homers, including three in the opening game, broke the single-season team record of 13 set in 2000. It was the second time this season NJCU has hit at least three homers in a game and four in a doubleheader.

 

NJCU wins the final three games of the season to finish 18-22 overall and 6-12 in the NJAC. StocktonCAITLIN LUNDBERG" src="/images/softball/2008/4/27/03-26-08%20Caitlin%20Lundberg%207.jpg" width=300 align=right border=0> ends its regular season at 24-16 and 7-10 in the league, losing its final three games. The Ospreys were eliminated from NJAC Tournament contention with the losses. The 18 wins by NJCU are the most by the program since going 21-15 and 7-11 NJAC in 2001.

 

Stockton had dominated the series, winning 15 consecutive meetings and 23-of-24. NJCU defeated the Ospreys for the first time since a 4-0 victory on April 11, 2000 and defeated RSC at home for the first time since a 10-9 decision on April 11, 1995. In the 50^th and 51^st meetings between the schools, it was NJCU’s first-ever sweep of the Ospreys in a series the South Jersey school leads 44-7.

 

Skowronski, the winning pitcher in both games of the doubleheader, also was the biggest offensive star, combining to go 5-for-5 with six RBIs, five runs, three walks and two homers while improving to 10-11 on the mound. In 10 innings in two games, she allowed only four hits.

 

Sophomore first baseman/rightfielder CHRISTINA PROSPERO (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) was 4-for-6 in the two games.

 

***********GAME 1: New Jersey City University 9, Richard Stockton College 3 ***********

NJCU, which had only defeated Stockton by more than one run once in its history, posted its largest margin of victory ever against the Ospreys, outhitting RSC, 9-3.

 

Skowronski was sensational on the mound and at the plate. She batted 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs while limiting the Ospreys to three hits in seven innings as she struck out five and walked two.

 

SUSIE MATSUTANI and Bridgette Quimpo on Senior Day" src="/images/softball/2008/4/27/04-26-08%20Susie%20Matsutani%20and%20Bridgette%20Quimpo%20Senior%20Day%201.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Matsutani was 2-for-3 with three runs and her fifth homerun of the season. Lundberg, who hit the decisive fifth-inning grand slam, became the seventh different NJCU player with a homer this year as she belted the first of her career. Prospero was 2-for-2.

 

The lone Stockton player with multiple hits was sophomore designated player Kelly Dodd (Linwood, NJ/Mainland), who was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Corica (Iselin, NJ/JFK) took the loss (10-9), allowing seven hits and eight runs with seven Ks and four walks. Freshman Brittany Giacomelli (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) had two strikeouts in one inning of relief.

 

On Senior Day, Matsutani made the first at bat of her special afternoon count when she launched a homer to leftfield for 1-0 lead.

 

Stockton tied it in the second when Dodd, who singled, scored on an error. Dodd added a two-run single in the third for a 3-1 lead.

 

But NJCU scored eight unanswered runs for the 9-3 win. NJCU tied it at 3-3 in the bottom of the third when Matsutani walked and Skowronski uncorked a two-run homer to left.

 

In the fifth, NJCU put the game away with five runs. Matsutani singled, moved to second on a passed ball and scored the winning run on an RBI single by Skowronski. With two outs and the bases loaded, Lundberg came in as a pinch hitter, and the decision by head coach BRIDGETTE QUIMPO paid dividends as Lundberg launched a pitch over the leftfield fence for the second grand slam by NJCU this season and an 8-3 lead.

 

NJCU added a final run in the sixth on an RBI single by Prospero. Meanwhile, Skowronski did not allow a hit after the third inning and retired the side in order in the seventh.

 

***********GAME 2: New Jersey City University 8, Richard Stockton College 7 ***********

 

In game two, Skowronski was NJCU’s catalyst yet again. She started the game at first base, and was 1-for-1 with three RBIs and two runs, walking three times. Her lone hit was a bomb, as she blasted a three-run homer to straightaway center in NJCU’s six-run fourth inning. It was her second multi-homer doubleheader this season and her fifth homerun of the year. Now with six career homers, she is second in school history in the category.

 

She also was the winning pitcher (10-11) in relief. In 3.0 innings, she allowed only one hit, facing 10 batters overall.

 

Offensively for NJCU, freshman catcher TAYLOR LANG (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) had two RBIs, going TARA PERRUCCI" src="/images/softball/2008/4/27/03-26-08%20Tara%20Perrucci%203.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>2-for-3. Prospero was 2-for-4 while sophomore centerfielder TARA PERRUCCI (Wallington, NJ/Wallington) scored twice in a 1-for-3 effort. Her lone hit of the doubleheader was a key one as she posted a two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh inning that broke a 7-7 tie, scoring Skowronski with the winning run.

 

Stockton outhit NJCU 12-7, paced by freshman pitcher Danielle Accardi (East Brunswick, NJ/Mount St. Mary), who was 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs, a double and homerun. However, she was the losing pitcher (11-6), allowing four earned runs and seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

 

Also for the Ospreys, junior shortstop Samantha Horner (Newfield, NJ/Buena) was 2-for-3 with two runs and a homerun while junior centerfielder Lindsay Connell (Rahway, NJ/Rahway) was 2-for-4.

Stockton, which batted as the home team in game two by NJAC rule, had more hits in the first inning than it had in all of game one, including two round-trippers. Horner led off with a homer and after a single by senior rightfielder Natalie Berrios (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), Accardi drove a two-run homerun over the rightfield wall for a 3-0 lead.

 

NJCU got one run back in the second on an RBI single by Lang, but Accardi made it 4-1 in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single.

 

NJCU bounced back in the fourth, scoring six times as nine batters came to the plate. Lang had an RBI single and freshman second baseman DANIELLE DELFINO (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep), who made the second out, had a sacrifice fly that made it 4-3. Matsutani had an RBI single that tied the game at 4-4, before Skowronski stepped to the plate and drilled a three-run homer to center, giving NJCU a 7-4 advantage.

 

 But the Knights couldn’t hold it as Stockton scored three times in the fourth to tie the game. Accardi and Dodd each had RBI doubles and a third double, this time by sophomore leftfielder Jessica Sneddon (Nutley, NJ/Nutley), made it 7-7. Junior right-hander ANDREA DELUCREZIA (Belleville, NJ/St. Mary’s-Rutherford) started for NJCU and struck out four versus two walks, but left with a no-decision.

 

Skowronski came in at pitcher, and was untouchable. She retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Skowronski walked and with two outs, scored on Perrucci’s winning single. Skowronski then shut the door on Stockton in the seventh, allowing only a two-out single.