EWING, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University stranded eight runners on base in game one and was limited to two hits in game two as The College of New Jersey swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference softball doubleheader, 5-1 and 9-1 (5 innings) on April 10 at Dr. June Walker Field.
 
TCNJ improved to 18-9 and 5-1 in the NJAC while NJCU dropped to .500 (11-11, 0-6 NJAC, lost 6).
 
Game 1: The College of New Jersey 5, New Jersey City University 1
New Jersey City stranded eight runners on base and three of TCNJ's eight hits were doubles as the Lions scored the first five runs of the game, scoring in four different innings.
 
Sam Platt (10-2) allowed one run and four hits in 6.1 innings with four strikeouts and three walks. Ashtin Helmer earned a two-out save for the Lions, striking out the final two batters of the game swinging after coming on with one out in the seventh with runners on first and second.
 
TCNJ had an 8-4 edge in hits. Right fielder Kristen Fitzsimmons and left fielder Madison Levine each batted 2-for-3 with a run and RBI. Junior second baseman Brianna Rosario (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) was 2-for-4 with a run scored for NJCU.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher Christina Mezey (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) pitched well but suffered the loss (5-6). In 6.0 innings, she allowed three earned runs and eight hits with a strikeout and three walks.
 
TCNJ scored twice in the first and tallied single runs in the second and third. In the opening inning Fitzsimmons singled, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Levine, before she eventually scored on a two-out error. An RBI double by Fitzsimmons in the second knocked in Cathy Drury, who singled and stole second and third. Deanna Utter doubled with one out in the third before scoring the fourth run on an error.
 
The Gothic Knights got a run closer in the sixth. Rosario and junior first baseman Brittany Paulikas (Fords, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) led off with back-to-back singles. Mezey laced a hard hit ball to right and was thrown out at first but Rosario scored on the throw.
 
The Lions added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Steph Vuono and a ground ball by Gaby Bennett. In the seventh, sophomore right fielder Melissa Mendoza (Union City, N.J./Union City) singled and freshman shortstop Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) walked to give NJCU two runners on before Helmer struck out the next two batters to seal the win.
 
Game 2: The College of New Jersey 9, New Jersey City University 1 (5 innings)
Center fielder Gaby Bennett notched six RBIs, batting 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run as TCNJ broke a 1-1 deadlock with four runs in the third and added three more in the fourth before winning it with a run in the fifth.
 
Helmer (3-3) earned the win, allowing a run while scattering two hits in 5.0 innings. She struck out four and walked two over 79 pitches. Senior righty Jayla Lee Vega (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) was charged with the loss (6-4).
 
Vuono scored three runs for the Lions, batting 2-for-2 while Drury also scored three times in a 2-for-3 effort. Third baseman Jess McGuire was 2-for-3. Gavin was 1-for-3 with a run for NJCU.
 
NJCU claimed a 1-0 lead in the first. Gavin led off with a single, moved all the way to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Vuono singled in the bottom of the first and later tied the game on a throwing error.
 
Still even at 1-1 in the third, Drury singled and stole second and third, Vuono walked and Fitzsimmons was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bennett cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left field line. An RBI single by catcher Jamie Purcell made it a 5-1 lead.
 
The Lions added three more runs in the fourth. After a bases loaded walk to Fitzsimmons pushed across the sixth run, a two-run single by Bennett made it 8-1. An RBI double by Bennett in the fifth knocked in the ninth run to end the game as the lead reached eight runs.
 
#KnightNotes:

• All-Time Series with TCNJ: 37th and 38th meetings. TCNJ leads the all-time series, 37-1.

 
What's Next?:
On Tuesday, April 12 (3 p.m.), NJCU will travel to Montclair, NJ to face Montclair State University (14-10, 0-6 NJAC, Lost 6) in an NJAC doubleheader. The Red Hawks lead the all-time series, 34-2.