JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore third baseman/right-handed pitcher Brittany Paulikas (Fords, N.J./JFK-Iselin) drove in three runs, including a pair of runs in the fourth and sixth innings as the New Jersey City University softball team ended a long losing streak, rallying past New York University, 8-5, in game one of a non-conference doubleheader on April 27 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. In game two, NYU led 2-1 after five before scoring twice in the sixth and four more in the seventh, eventually prevailing, 8-3.
 
It was the first-ever meeting between NJCU (3-31) and NYU (9-23) which is sponsoring softball for the first time in 2015. NJCU snapped a 15-game losing streak with the game one outcome. It was NJCU's first-ever meeting and first win against a school from the high-powered University Athletic Association (UAA)—a league that includes current Top 25 ranked schools Emory and Washington (Mo.). The eight runs in game one were a season-high for NJCU.
 
GAME 1: NJCU 8, NYU 5
In a back-and-forth opening game, NJCU scored three times in the first, NYU countered with four in the second and the Gothic Knights answered back with two in the third.
 
NYU would tie it in the top of the fourth. After back-to-back one-out singles, junior shortstop Kahala Bonsignore (Ventura, Calif.) tied it with an RBI single as sophomore left fielder Rachel Fulton (Carlsbad, Calif.) jarred the ball loose from NJCU freshman catcher Cristina Otero (Jersey City, NJ/North Bergen) in a play at the plate, tying it at five. However, when the ball rolled away, NYU tried to score the go-ahead run from third. Otero recovered from the collision, recovered the ball and flipped it to senior left-handed pitcher Ashley Latushko (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) for a tag at the plate on freshman second baseman Sage Scheiwiller (Spokane, Wash.).
 
It proved to be a key defensive play in the game after Latushko got the next batter to ground out on seven pitches, stranding the go-ahead run at third.
 
NJCU pulled in front for good in the bottom of the inning. Junior first baseman Faith Ely (Vienna, NJ/Hackettstown) was hit by a one-out pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Paulikas lined a 2-2 pitch to right for a two-out single and a 6-5 lead.
 
Latushko again frustrated the Violets in the sixth. Freshman center fielder Colby Tarsitano (LaQuinta, Calif.) doubled to center with one out and advanced to third on a wild pitch, before Fulton lined out to second and Scheiwiller  lined to right to end the threat.
 
NJCU added some much-needed insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Senior left fielder Crystal Torres (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) and junior shortstop Thalia Garcia (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) led off with singles and freshman center fielder Juliana Squeo (Carlstadt, NJ/Becton Regional) deposited an RBI single down the left field line to score Torres and push Garcia to third with one out. Paulikas grounded out to first to drive in Garcia for an 8-5 margin and Latushko closed the door in the seventh.
 
Paulikas finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored while Latushko and Garcia each batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Torres went 2-for-3 with a run. Latushko won her first game of the season, going the distance on 103 pitches.
 
NYU, which had 11 hits but committed six errors, received two hits apiece from Tarsitano, Scheiwiller and junior catcher Lauren Parnaby (Bilgola, New South Wales, Australia), while sophomore designated player Sabrina Casseus (Cheltenham, Pa.) had a two-run double in the second inning.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacqueline Tremblay (Naples, Fla.) lost, allowing five earned runs with three strikeouts (no walks).
 
NJCU originally gained a 3-0 lead in the first on an RBI groundout by Paulikas and an RBI single by sophomore right fielder/catcher Jazz Randall (Parsippany, NJ/West Orange) before adding a third run on one of three NYU errors in the frame.
 
NYU scored four times on four hits in the second with the two-run double by Casseus tying it before an RBI single by Tarsitano made it 4-3. Paulikas doubled in the third and Latushko singled, before both players scored on one of three NYU errors to follow in the inning.
 
GAME 2: NYU 8, NJCU 3
After a long first game, the nightcap was approaching 6:30 p.m. with NYU up 2-1, entering the sixth inning, when the Gothic Knights needed to make three defensive changes to accommodate Ely's departure for a Monday night class. NYU capitalized after the switch.
 
With two outs, Bonsignore singled and sophomore third baseman Molly Webber (Treasure Island, Fla.) doubled over the head of the new left fielder, driving in a run. A throwing error in the

dirt at first led to another run and a 4-1 lead. The Violets would add four runs on six hits in the top of the seventh with RBI singles by Tarsitano, Scheiwiller and Bonsignore before a pinch hit single increased the lead to 8-1.
 
RBI singles by reserve sophomore left fielder Deseree Johnson (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional) and Paulikas in the bottom of the seventh made the final outcome a little closer.
 
Paulikas owned a perfect game through the first three innings before Tarsitano led off the fourth with solo homer and NYU added an RBI single by Fulton later in the frame for a 2-0 advantage. Paulikas walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Randall, the game two catcher, doubled her home with NJCU's first hit of the game.
 
NJCU had four hits in the game. Paulikas, who suffered the loss, was 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and run scored at the plate, to finish the twinbill 3-for-6, reaching base five times.
 
Tarsitano led NYU, batting 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs and Bonsignore was 3-for-4 with three runs. Webber and Fulton each tallied two hits in the win. Scheiwiller was the winning pitcher (5-10), striking out six versus four walks in 7.0 innings. Over 112 pitches she allowed one earned run and four hits.
 
OF NOTE:

• All-time series even, 1-1.
• NJCU's win was its first since a 4-3 decision over Brooklyn in game one of a doubleheader on April 9.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
NJCU will play the second of three straight home non-conference doubleheaders to conclude the season when it hosts the College of Staten Island tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Jersey City, in a makeup of a twice postponed doubleheader (March 21 and March 29). The Dolphins are 23-10 and 11-1 in the CUNYAC. CSI, which advanced to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament after winning the CUNYAC title in 2014, will be the top seed in this year's CUNYAC Tournament.