New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CAPE CORAL, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University All-NJAC senior center fielder CASEY PEREZ (West New York, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) was a combined 5-for-7 with four RBIs, four steals and three runs, including a four-RBI showing in game one as NJCU won its first softball game of the season, 8-0 in six innings, over Mount Mary University on March 12. In game two, NJCU fell to North Park University, 12-3 in five innings, on day three of the Gene Cusic Classic at the Cape Coral Sports Complex.
 
NJCU is 1-5 after the split. Perez became the fourth player in school history to reach the 50-steal plateau in the twinbill.
  Perez was sensational at the top of the lineup, batting 3-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs, and two steals in sparking NJCU to its first win of the season in its first-ever meeting with Mount Mary University, 0-9 (lost 28), and independent institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
 
Freshman third baseman BRIANNA ROSARIO (Roselle, NJ/Abraham Clark) was 2-for-3 with two runs while junior designated player TAYLOR SETAR (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) scored twice and doubled in a 1-for-2 effort. Freshman left fielder YAQUELIN IGLESIAS (White Plains, NY/White Plains) drove in two RBIs, going 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly.
 
Junior left-hander ASHLEY LATUSHKO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny)'s first collegiate victory (1-3) is a two-hit shutout. In six innings she was a bit wild, issuing eight walks, but allowed just two singles and struck out five. Katie Edwards (0-6) lost for the Blue Angels, allowing seven earned runs and nine hits in 5.1 innings, with three strikeouts and a walk.
 
NJCU scored three times in the third and three more in the fourth before tacking on single runs in the fifth and sixth.
 
In the third, Setar led off with a double, Rosario had a bunt single before stealing second and both came home when Perez deposited a two-run single to left center. She later advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly by Iglesias.
 
In the fourth, NJCU had a runner on third with two outs before three singles by Rosario, Perez and Iglesias and a throwing error helped bring home three more runs, extending the lead to 6-0. Perez stole second after singling in Rosario to get in scoring position.
 
In the fifth, senior shortstop GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball. In the sixth, Setar drew a leadoff walk, stole second and third and scored on an RBI single to left by Perez that extended the lead to 8-0 and enforced the eight-run rule, ending the game with one out in the inning.
In game two, NJCU committed eight errors that led to eight unearned runs as the Gothic Knights fell in five innings. North Park (4-2), located in Chicago and members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), scored three times in the first and twice in the second to begin separating itself in a 3-3 game. Five runs in the third and two in the fourth sealed it for the Vikings.
 
NJCU was limited to four hits in the loss, half by Perez who batted 2-for-3 with two steals and a run to up her season batting average to .524 through six games. She is now 30 shy of 100 for her career.
 
Freshman righty MELISSA MENDOZA (Union, NJ/Union City) took the loss (0-2), giving up four earned runs and eight hits with a strikeout in 4.0 innings.
 
The Vikings used two pitchers. Katy Ortinau started, allowing three runs and two hits with three strikeouts and three walks before Danielle Warner pitched the final three innings, shutting out NJCU while limiting the Knights to a pair of hits with three strikeouts and two walks to win her first game (1-2).
 
First baseman Nicole Kruckman was 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI while shortstop Kaity Olson batted 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Half of the Vikings hits went for extra bases—two doubles and two triples. Right fielder Mykala Walton batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs and one run.
 
In the bottom of the first, North Park benefited from three NJCU errors, scoring three times on one hit. With the bases loaded and two outs after a pair of infield errors, Kruckman's double to center brought home the first run before an error in center cleared the bases.
 
NJCU got the runs back in the second inning, tying the game at 3-3. After a walk, sacrifice, passed ball and hit by pitch put runners on the corners, NJCU executed a double steal with Rosario stealing second and sophomore right fielder THALIA GARCIA (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) swiping home on the throw.  Perez singled and again with runners on the corners, another double steal allowed Perez to take second and Rosario, her second steal of the inning, to cross the plate. An RBI single by senior catcher MARISSA BARISO (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford), the 96^th of her career, knocked in Perez.
 
The Vikings regained the lead for good in the second. Ortinau had an RBI triple and scored on a groundout. The Vikings put the game away with five runs on five hits in the third. After an error allowed the first run to cross, a ground-rule double by Olson and a triple to right-center by Walton were the two biggest hits in the frame.
 
The Vikings scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, aided by four NJCU errors—two on one play—that made the margin 12-9. The game ended after four and a half innings due to the eight-run rule.
 
On the final day of the trip NJCU sees action against Franklin & Marshall College (5-3) and Nazareth College (2-4) at 9 and 11 a.m. in Cape Coral on March 13.  

GAME 1: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | Cape Coral, Fla.
Mount Mary University (0-9)	0	0	0	0	0	0	X	-	-	0	2	2
New Jersey City University (1-4)	0	0	3	3	1	1	X	-	-	8	9	0
WP: ASHLEY LATUSHKO (1-3). LP: Katie Edwards (0-6).

 

GAME 2: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | Cape Coral, Fla.
New Jersey City University (1-5)	0	3	0	0	0	X	X	-	-	3	4	8
North Park University (4-2)	3	2	5	2	X	X	X	-	-	12	8	1
WP: Danielle Warner (1-2). LP: MELISSA MENDOZA (0-2).