CAPE CORAL, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Bridgewater State University scored two runs in each of the first four innings before enforcing the eight-run rule with a walk-off triple in the fifth as the defending MASCAC conference champions defeated NJCU, 9-1 in five innings in game six of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic for the Gothic Knights on March 10.
 
Bridgewater State (6-2) went 32-14 last year and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional (Sweet 16). The Bears produced 14 hits in the game including five for extra bases. NJCU fell to 1-5 with the loss.
 
NJCU had six hits with junior first baseman Faith Ely (Vienna, NJ/Hackettstown) returning to the lineup going 2-for-2 with the lone Gothic Knight RBI. Freshman catcher Cristina Otero (Jersey City, NJ/North Bergen) also was 2-for-2.
 
BSU pitcher Iliana Rivera won for the Bears (2-1), allowing one run and six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5.0 innings. Senior left-handed pitcher Ashley Latushko (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) took the loss (0-4), going the first 1.2 innings before sophomore right-hander Brittany Paulikas (Fords, NJ/JFK-Iselin) finished out the final 3.0 frames, striking out two without a walk against five runs and eight hits.
 
Second baseman Courtney Leddy was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and one run and right fielder Breanna Shaffer finished 3-for-4 with three runs and one RBI. Third baseman Tara McCann and catcher Angelica Banning each provided two hits.
 
Bridgewater got the only runs it needed in the bottom of the first as Leddy had a sac fly before a second run came home on one of three NJCU errors in the game. Leading 4-0, back-to-back extra base hits by Banning and shortstop Jocelyn Bettencourt extended the margin to 6-0 and after a fourth-inning sacrifice fly, first baseman Kelly McCarthy had an RBI double for an 8-0 lead.
 
Ely kept NJCU alive in the game with a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth that scored freshman Alyssia Pacheco (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) who led off with a bunt single. But with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Shaffer singled and Leddy tripled to left to seal the win.
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
On day four of the trip in Cape Coral, Fla., the Knights face Emory and Henry College (4-0), members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) at 9 a.m. The Wasps have outscored their opponents 28-5 to open the season. At 11 a.m. NJCU meets Alverno College (3-3), members of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).