New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

CAPE CORAL, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Franklin & Marshall College scored three runs in the top of the fourth and added three more in the seventh to overcome a 3-1 Gothic Knight lead as the Diplomats defeated New Jersey City University, 7-3, in the eighth and final game of NJCU's 2013 spring softball trip at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic at the Northwest Cape Coral Complex Field #4 on March 14.
 
With the loss, NJCU ends its Florida spring training trip with a 4-4 record while Franklin & Marshall improved to 4-6 on the season. It's the third consecutive season NJCU will return from Florida with a 4-4 ledger.
 
Senior third baseman REBECCA SATZ (Morris Plains, NJ/Morristown) had two of NJCU's six hits (2-for-3) with a double and scored a run, increasing her career hits total to 165 while raising her batting average to .458. Junior second baseman MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) also batted 2-for-3 to finish her first spring trip with a .333 batting average.
 
Rookie left fielder THALIA GARCIA (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) and junior right fielder CASEY PEREZ (West New York, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) scored the other two runs for NJCU. Junior catcher MARISSA BARISO (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) added an RBI.
 
Senior pitcher ASHLEY O'BEIRNE (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Immaculate Conception) suffered her third loss of the season (4-3), allowing seven earned runs and 11 hits. She struck out two and walked three over 114 pitches.
 
For F&M, sophomore pitcher Justine Lohrey (West Chester, PA) picked up the win (3-2), striking out four NJCU batters without issuing a walk. She scattered six hits—all singles—while giving up two earned runs.
 
Junior catcher Ashley Hartshorn (Branchburg, NJ/Immaculata) was 3-for-3 with three runs and a RBI for the Diplomats and senior third baseman Amanda Schellaci (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Ramapo) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.
 
Senior left fielder Julianne Whitleigh (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey Township) added a run and RBI while senior center fielder Danielle Murphy (Hazlet, NJ/Mater Dei) and rookie second baseman Tori Hytell (Westbury, NY) each drove in runs for F&M. Junior right fielder Rachel Laufer (North Potamac, MD) and junior shortstop Nicole Casey (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) scored the other two runs for the Diplomats.
 
F&M would get on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when Hartshorn tripled with one out and scored on a dropped pop fly at second base for a 1-0 lead.
 
NJCU would score all three of its runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. Perez singled and Satz doubled—the 42^nd of her career to tie Karen Flicker (1992-95, 42 doubles) for second in school history. Garcia reached on a dropped ball at second base that pushed home Perez with the tying run and Satz raced home with the go-ahead run. Kaminski singled and Bariso knocked in Garcia with a ground ball for a 3-1 advantage.
 
F&M would fire back right away with a three runs in the fourth that was sparked by leadoff singles by Hartshorn and Casey. Both advanced on a passed ball before Schellaci singled to right field for an RBI that scored Hartshorn. Casey came home on a Hytell squeeze bunt to the pitcher to tie the game. F&M would build a 4-3 lead when Schellaci scored on a Murphy sac fly.
 
The Knights were limited to one hit in the final four innings and the Diplomats were able to extend their lead in the top of the seventh. Laufer, Whitleigh and Hartshorn strung together back-to-back-to-back doubles to produce two runs and a 6-3 lead before a Schellaci single to right center added the seventh run.
 
NJCU will play its first northern game of the season on Tuesday, March 19 at 3:30 p.m., when it hosts the College of Mount Saint Vincent in a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.