New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FORT MYERS, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University softball program won a pair of one-run games to open the 2017 season. NJCU edged Clark University (Mass.), 3-2, before holding off Bridgewater State University, 7-6, in an eventful seventh inning. Both games were part of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic at the CenturyLink Complex on March 5.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher/third baseman Christina Mezey (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) won both games, coming on in relief to win game one. Senior first baseman Brittany Paulikas (Ford, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) was a combined 5-for-7 in the twinbill while junior left fielder Juliana Squeo (Carlstadt, N.J./Becton Regional) batted 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.
 
In the win over Clark, the Cougars led 1-0 after one inning and 2-1 after three before the Gothic Knights plated two runs in the fifth to seize the lead when Mezey helped her own cause, ripping a two-out, two-run double to right. In 4.0 innings of relief, she struck out five, walked no one and allowed just two singles.
 
NJCU had a 9-8 margin in hits with Squeo and junior third baseman Melissa Mendoza (Union City, N.J./Union City) each collected two hits apiece.
 
Against Bridgewater State, NJCU scored four times in the bottom of the fourth to claim a 6-2 margin. Leading 7-3, the Bears scored three times in the top of the seventh before the game ended with a bizarre play at third base where two Bridgewater players tried to occupy the bag  at the same time and one was tagged out.
 
Paulikas batted 4-for-4 with two RBIs, including a two-run single up the middle in the fourth. Freshman second baseman Caralynne Rivera (Brick, N.J./Kearny) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
 
This story will be updated.