New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BOX SCORE: Game 1 | Game 2

EWING, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior third baseman REBECCA SATZ (Morris Plains, NJ/Morristown) crushed an 18-year-old school record with her 16^th and 17^th doubles of the season but it wasn't enough to overcome The College of New Jersey. TCNJ scored five runs in the second inning of game one before rallying in game two to clinch a spot in the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament as the Lions swept an NJAC doubleheader from the Gothic Knights, 9-0 in five innings and 4-2, on Saturday afternoon at Lions' Park.
 
TCNJ, ranked second in the NCAA Division III East Regional Rankings, improved to 21-11 and 10-4 in the conference and moved into a tie for second place in the NJAC with 20 points. NJCU (11-23, 2-12 NJAC) lost its 10th straight game. TCNJ is 30-0 all-time in the series.
 
Satz was a combined 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored in the two games, breaking the record of 15 doubles she had shared since April 10. The previous mark was set in 1994 by Karen Flicker and twice equaled in 1998 and 2000 by Jen Barletta. Satz notched her 150^th career hit in the game, tying for fifth place in school history.
 
Additionally, with six games remaining in the season, Satz, who has put up incredible numbers all season while hitting safely in nine consecutive games and 32 of 34 overall contests, remained alive to break three more single-season records. With 54 hits, Satz need five more to break the single-season mark of 58 by Dana Holtje in 1997 (Barletta had 56 hits in 2000).
 
Satz' current .474 batting average is tied for third highest in school history; the record of .485 by Barletta in 1998. Satz also owns a .789 slugging percentage. Third best in school history, she has a chance of breaking Barletta's mark of .828 in 2000.
 
In defeat, sophomore catcher MARISSA BARISO (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) and sophomore second baseman JANISSA CARDONA (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) each added an RBI in game two.
 
Senior pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) was the winner in both games for TCNJ. She tossed a three-hit shutout in game one before earning the victory in game two in a 5.0 inning relief stint, improving to 14-4.
 
Sophomore designated hitter Nicole Brodbeck (Atco, NJ/Hammonton) added four RBIs and a run in game one and junior center fielder Liz Huttner (Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South) was a combined 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a RBI in the two games. TCNJ jumped out to 5-0 lead after two innings and 7-0 after three before cruising past NJCU in the opening game, 9-0, in five innings (eight-run rule). TCNJ outhit NJCU, 10-3.
 
On the hill, Fitzsimmons tossed a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts and no walks while improving to 13-4.
 
Satz had two of the three NJCU hits in game one as she was 2-for-2 with her record-setting double to center field with two outs in the first inning. Senior designated hitter JESS MUCERINO (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park) had the other NJCU hit.
 
A majority of the TCNJ offense was provided by Brodbeck, who was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and junior second baseman Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) who added three runs, swiped three bases and a RBI in a 2-for-3 effort. Huttner was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two stolen bases.
 
Senior first baseman Katelyn Congilose (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) was 1-for-2 with a RBI, double and run scored. Senior left fielder Crystal Lee (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) added the other TCNJ run.
 
Junior righty ASHLEY O'BEIRNE (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Immaculate Conception) suffered the loss (6-14), allowing six earned runs (nine total) and 10 hits in 4.0 innings, with two walks.
 
TCNJ scored five runs on four hits in the bottom of the second inning. Huttner started off the inning with a double to left field before scoring on a Sogluizzo bunt single for a 1-0 lead. Brodbeck knocked a single to right field to score Sogluizzo. The Lions would then take advantage of NJCU's sloppy defensive play as junior right fielder Michelle Casale (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) reached when sophomore left fielder CASEY PEREZ (West New York, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) dropped a fly ball with two outs and the bases loaded. Lee, Congilose and Brodbeck all scored unearned runs on the error for a 5-0 advantage.
 
In the third, Brodbeck would gain another RBI on a groundout to Cardona, which scored Huttner, who walked. Congilose followed with an RBI sacrifice bunt that scored Sogluizzo, extending the margin to 7-0. A two-run single by Brodbeck in the bottom of the fourth made the margin 9-0 as Sogluizzo and Huttner both scored after each singled. In the nightcap, NJCU scored twice in the first three innings to claim a 2-1 margin before the Lions evened the game in the fifth and snapped the deadlock with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, prevailing, 4-2. The hosts had a 6-4 differential in base hits.
 
Fitzsimmons threw the final 5.0 innings in relief, only allowing one hit with six strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore pitcher Alex Carisone (Branchburg, NJ/Rutgers Prep) started, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 2.0 innings. Mucerino took the loss (5-9), allowing just four runs (three earned) and six hits with four walks in 6.0 innings.  
 
The Lions were led by Lee, who was 1-for-2 with two runs and a RBI. Huttner added a run and a RBI in a 1-for-1 effort. Casale was 1-for-3 with a RBI and sophomore shortstop Lindsey Williams (Roxbury, NJ/Roxbury) added a run for TCNJ in a 1-for-3 effort.
 
Bariso and Cardona each went 1-for-3 and added an RBI. Satz was 1-for-2 with a run while senior shortstop MEGAN GINTER (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) added the other NJCU run—her 37^th of the season and 125^th of her career.
 
NJCU struck first in the top of the first when Satz doubled down the left field line and scored on a two-out RBI single to left center by Bariso. TCNJ got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first as Huttner had a sacrifice bunt to score Lee to even the score at 1-1. Lee had singled, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
 
The Gothic Knights regained the lead in the top of the third. Ginter reached on an error, Mucerino singled and a two-out RBI single to center by Cardona gave NJCU a 2-1 advantage.
 
TCNJ rallied in the fifth with two outs. Williams singled and stole second and TCNJ tied the game when Lee singled to left field. Casale followed with a RBI double to score Lee and give the Lions the 3-2 edge.
 
The Lions would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Huttner led off with a walk and scored on a two-out error. In the top of the seventh, Fitzsimmons would ensure the victory as she struck out the side to seal the win.
 
NJCU returns to action when it hosts Richard Stockton in an NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 24 beginning at 3 p.m.