JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The saying goes, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. For the New Jersey City University softball team to end its losing streak, that much was true on April 9. Brooklyn College scored three times in the first two innings but didn't again and trailing 3-1, NJCU plated three in the seventh inning, including a walkoff infield single by senior shortstop Crystal Torres (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), as the Gothic Knights upended Brooklyn, 4-3, in game one of a non-conference doubleheader. Tied 4-4 in game two at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, Brooklyn scored five times in the sixth inning to earn a split, 11-4.
 
NJCU (2-16) snapped a 12-game losing streak with its first win since edging Geneva College, 5-4, on March 9 in Fort Myers, Fla. The Bulldogs are 9-11.
 
GAME 1: NJCU 4, Brooklyn 3
On an overcast and cold day in Jersey City, a little seventh-inning drama was enough to warm up the Gothic Knight hearts. Trailing 3-1 entering the seventh inning, things didn't look good for NJCU, which had only scored multiple runs in an inning five times in 16 games. But the Knights did just that, scoring three times on five hits to steal a 4-3 decision.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Brittany Paulikas (Fords, NJ/JFK-Iselin) led off with a single through the right side, junior first baseman Faith Ely (Vienna, NJ/Hackettstown) singled to center and with one out, senior Ashley Latushko (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) had a pinch hit to center to load the bases.
 
That led to an unlikely hero. Sophomore designated player Deseree Johnson (Red Bank, NJ/Monmouth Regional), a captain of the women's basketball team who made the late decision to come out for softball in 2015, was playing and starting in her first career game and was 0-for-2 in the game and down 0-2 in the count. But Johnson came through with the clutch basket, singling to center to drive in Paulikas with her first career hit, and when the relay through trickled through the catcher's legs, Ely scampered home and Latushko advanced to third. With one out, Torres ripped a sharp ground ball that the Brooklyn second baseman dove to knock down but couldn't recover in time to throw out Latushko with the game-winning run.
 
Brooklyn had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on two hits and an error. Shortstop Chrissy Heyer and right fielder Liza Nunez led off with singles and were involved in a double steal of second and home for a 1-0 lead. After a walk and sacrifice pushed runners into scoring position, first baseman Ashley Tkacsik made it 2-0 with a ground ball that resulted in an error.
 

BC capitalized on two more NJCU errors in the second inning, adding a third run. NJCU got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when the Bulldogs committed two errors. Junior center fielder Thalia Garcia (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) reached on a one-out error and on a double steal attempt following another error, came home from third on a throw to second.
 
In a game NJCU won despite committing seven errors, the Knights produced eight hits. Paulikas, the winning pitcher (2-6), helped herself at the dish where she was the lone Gothic Knight with multiple hits, batting 2-for-3 with a run scored. Heyer was 2-for-4 for Brooklyn, which had five hits and starting pitcher Kayla Hill, was 2-for-3.
 
Paulikas went 7.0 innings, allowing two earned runs and five hits with two strikeouts and a walk over 92 pitches. Hill (3-5) allowed two earned runs and five hits, striking out eight without issuing a walk in 6.1 innings while also throwing 92 pitches.
 
GAME 2: Brooklyn 11, NJCU 4
NJCU, which committed a combined 12 errors in the doubleheader, was charged with five more in game two, leading to seven unearned runs and ultimately cost the Knights the game.
 
First baseman/catcher Samantha Rodriguez drove in four runs, going 2-for-3 with two runs, a home run and sacrifice fly. Heyer was 4-for-5 with three runs and one RBI. Tkacsik and left fielder Breanna Maresca each had two hits.
 
Garcia was 2-for-3 with two runs for NJCU and sophomore catcher/outfielder Jazz Randall (Parsippany, NJ/West Orange) was 2-for-4. Paulikas drove in a run (1-for-3) and Johnson doubled for her first career extra-base hit, and scored.
 
Tied 4-4 in the sixth, the game got away from the Knights when NJCU committed three errors in the frame and Brooklyn scored five times with only two hits to its credit. Second baseman Liza Nunez struck out but reached on a wild pitch and stole second and Heyer and Hill singled to load the bases. A sac fly by Rodriguez put BC ahead, 5-4. Three errors by the left side of the infield led to four runs and a 9-4 advantage before the Bulldogs scored two more times in the seventh. Both runs were unearned after a one-out infield error. Rodriguez and Tkacsik would capitalize with RBI singles.
 
In the first inning Garcia was hit by a pitch and Randall singled. Garcia moved to third on a one-out passed ball and scored when a strikeout in the dirt had to be thrown to first. Brooklyn claimed a 2-1 lead when Heyer singled in the second inning and Rodriguez led off the third with solo homer to right.
 
Garcia, Randall and Paulikas all singled for NJCU in the third, with the final hit tying the game at 2-2. Each school scored twice in the fourth. BC loaded the bases after a walk and singles by Nunez and Heyer. A force at the plate led to the second out before Rodriguez put Brooklyn in front on a late fielder's choice throw and Heyer and Rodriguez executed a double steal with Heyer swiping home.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Johnson had a two-out standup double. Torres singled up the middle and Johnson missed the stop sign at third but avoided being tagged in a rundown and scored when the Bulldog catcher dropped the throw home. A single down the left field line by Garcia scored Torres with the tying run.
 
Latushko started for NJCU but left after 4.0 innings with a no-decision (3 er, 6 h, 2Ks, 4 BB). Paulikas only allowed one earned run, striking out two without issuing a walk but was charged with the hard-luck loss (2-7). Kimberly Brennan also received a no-decision for Brooklyn in 3.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Tkacsik was the winner in relief (4-2), limiting NJCU to just one hit and no runs in the final 3.1 innings. She struck out two and walked one.
 
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads the all-time series, 9-6.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
On Saturday, April 11, NJCU visits Stockton University in Galloway, NJ for a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader. The Ospreys, formerly Richard Stockton College, lead the all-time series, 53-8, and have won the last 12 meetings.