New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

FORT MYERS, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University senior third baseman REBECCA SATZ (Morris Plains, NJ/Morristown) started off her 2013 campaign with a homerun in the top of the first inning and helped the Gothic Knights maintain a 2-0 lead throughout the game before Kenyon College rallied in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 3-2 victory, in game one of two played on March 11 in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic at the Lee County Sports Complex Field#4.
 
Kenyon improved to 10-2 by scoring three runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh after being limited to four hits in the first six innings. NJCU dropped the opening game (0-1) of its 33^rd season of intercollegiate softball despite not committing an error.
 
Satz, a two-time First-Team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference performer, had two of NJCU's four hits, including her 14^th career homerun and 156^th hit (fifth all-time). Junior catcher MARISSA BARISO (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) added a RBI.
 
NJCU led throughout the first six innings and looked as if they were going to escape with a win before the Kenyon Ladies reeled of its third walk-off win of the season.
 
Senior pitcher ASHLEY O'BEIRNE (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Immaculate Conception) suffered the hard-luck loss (0-1), allowing nine hits. She struck out two and walked four against three earned runs.
 
Sophomore pitcher Maddy Stark (Glenview, IL) was solid on the mound for Kenyon, striking out nine NJCU batters without issuing a walk to improve to 6-0 this season.
 
Freshman left fielder Meredith Williams (Novi, MI) was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI for the Ladies while senior shortstop Jamie Samuel (Malibu, CA) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
NJCU would immediately get on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning when Satz, who hit in the No. 3 slot in the lineup 37 times last year, launched a shot over the left center wall in her first at bat as a leadoff hitter for a 1-0 lead. NJCU would leave runners stranded at second and third in the inning.
 
O'Beirne retired seven straight batters until Kenyon put two on in the fourth, but failed to score. Kenyon also stranded two runners after another single and walk in the bottom of the fifth. Meanwhile, Stark would set down NJCU in order in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings and 13 in a row until the sixth.
 
The Gothic Knights were able to extend their lead in the top of the sixth as Satz singled to right center and advanced to third on a single up the middle by senior shortstop GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades). NJCU would make it a 2-0 game when Satz scored on a Bariso sacrifice fly.
 
Kenyon threatened for the third straight inning in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases on two walks and a hit batter before O'Beirne got out of the inning with a groundout. NJCU stranded two in the top of the seventh, but went to the bottom of the inning ahead, 2-0.
 
But Kenyon would finally make their move in the bottom of the seventh when rookie right fielder Danielle Elizarraraz (Whittier, CA) started off the inning with a double to right. Stark would follow with a single to right to put runners on the corners. Williams singled through the right side to bring in Elizarraraz and make it a one-run game with no outs. Samuel doubled to center to plate Stark and tie the game before rookie third baseman Lindsey Susolik (Newport Beach, CA) singled through the left side of the infield with one out to score Williams with the winning run, 3-2.