CAPE CORAL, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Dominican University scored six runs in the first two innings and outhit New Jersey City University, 12-3, as the Stars defeated NJCU, 9-1 in five innings in game nine of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic for the Gothic Knights on March 12
 
Dominican, the third member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) the Knights have faced on the trip, upped its mark to 5-2; NJCU dropped to 1-8.
 
At the plate, senior left-handed pitcher Ashley Latushko (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) walked twice and had NJCU's only RBI when the Knights plated a run in the bottom of the fifth. On the mound she struck out six and walked three but allowed all nine runs and 12 hits to suffer the loss (0-6).
 
Haley Locher earned the win (2-2). In 3.0 innings she struck out three walked none and allowed just two hits over 39 pitches. Siena Gyure threw 43 pitches in the final 2.0 innings, allowing one unearned run and one hit with four strikeouts and two walks.
 
Shortstop Sara Hausl was 3-for-3 with two runs and Gyure, who started the game at designated player, had two RBIs and batted 2-for-4 for the Stars. Catcher Sarah Conway was 2-for-3.
 
Dominican got all the offense it needed in the top of the first as eight players batted. An RBI double by Hausl, an RBI single by Gyure and a triple by first baseman Armani Procter, who later stole home, highlighted the outburst. The Stars added two runs in the second and fifth innings and one in the fourth.
 
NJCU needed two runs in the bottom of the fifth to avoid the eight-run rule being enforced. Freshman third baseman Melissa Veloz (West New York, NJ/Memorial) singled and senior center fielder Crystal Torres (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) reached on an error and when junior left/right fielder Thalia Garcia (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) was hit by a pitch with two outs, the bases were loaded. Latushko drew a five-pitch walk to force in the only run but Torres was caught stealing home to end the game.