NAPLES, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Another day in the sun, another deep comeback. New Jersey City University gave up seven runs in the first inning before scoring five in the third inning and four in the fourth to rally past Albion College, 10-8, in the early game on the final day of NJCU's 2017 spring trip. Dominican University defeated the Gothic Knights, 9-2, in the nightcap. Both games were played at North Collier Regional Park Field No. 2.
 
The Knights, who posted perhaps the greatest comeback in program history a day earlier against Elms, finished their 2017 appearance in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic with a 5-3 ledger. It's the best start to a season since opening the 2010 campaign at 6-2 in the same tournament.
 
GAME 1: NJCU 10, Albion 8
Albion scored seven runs—six unearned aided by three errors—in the bottom of the first inning—before sophomore right-handed pitcher Christina Mezey (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) entered in relief to shut the door, allowing just two hits over the next six innings. NJCU produced 12 hits. Trailing 7-1, NJCU scored five in the third to draw within 7-6, before moving in front with the four-run fifth.
 
Mezey was the difference in the circle and at the plate, where she reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with an RBI, double, walk and run scored. She improved to 3-1 on the season, allowing only two hits and one unearned run while striking out five (no walks).
 
Junior right fielder Melissa Mendoza (Union City, N.J./Union City) entered the game after power-hitting freshman center fielder Alanis Concepcion (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) was injured in the middle of her first plate appearance, and wound up notching two RBIs, going 2-for-5.
 
Junior left fielder Juliana Squeo (Carlstadt, N.J./Becton Regional) and senior outfielder Jazz Randall (Parsippany, N.J./West Orange) each drove in two RBIs while senior first baseman Brittany Paulikas (Ford, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) and sophomore catcher Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) scored twice. Senior second baseman Brianna Rosario (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) had two hits.
 
Albion (4-6) received two RBIs apiece from freshman right fielder Rebeka Enders (Bridgman, Mich.) and freshman right-handed pitcher Madison Kortas (Richmond, Mich.). Freshman catcher Savannah Spring (Waterford, Mich.) had two hits and freshman third baseman Rebecca Rodriguez (Capac, Mich.) scored twice.
 
NJCU scored one in the top of the first, before 11 Britons batted in the error-plagued first inning. NJCU returned the favor in the third when it sent 11 batters to the dish, notching five runs on four hits before stranding the bases loaded. Squeo and Randall each notched two-run singles in the frame before a fifth run came in on a wild pitch.
 
After the first two batters were retired in the fifth, NJCU had three straight singles and Mezey tied the game before freshman shortstop Naomi Olacio (Bayonne, N.J./Hoboken) drew a bases-loaded walk to give NJCU an 8-7 lead. Mendoza followed with a two-run single to complete the comeback, scoring Paulikas and Mezey for a 10-7 advantage. The Brits got one unearned run in the sixth before Mezey largely shut down Albion in the final three innings.

 
GAME 2: Dominican (Ill.) 9, NJCU 2
There would be no comeback in the nightcap as the Stars scored three runs in the second and added two runs each in the third, fourth and sixth frames. NJCU committed five errors, leading to five unearned runs. Each team had six hits.
 
Dominican (9-3), extended its winning streak to eight. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Sydney Kuderna (Naperville, Ill.) won (6-2), tossing four shutout innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts (one walk). Junior left-handed pitcher Michelle Behrens (Frankfort, Ill.) earned the save. In 3.0 innings, she allowed two unearned runs and four hits with four strikeouts (two walks).
 
Paulikas, who hit safely in all eight games on the trip, was 3-for-4 with one RBI while freshman second baseman Alicia Nazario (Jersey City, N.J./Hoboken) batted 2-for-2 with a run in a reserve role.
 
Stars sophomore shortstop Gabi Alfaro (Aurora, Ill.) notched three RBIs while sophomore center fielder Abby Maike (Savanna, Ill.) had two RBIs. Sophomore designated player Gabby Curran (Elmhurst, Ill.) and sophomore right fielder Jacadi Rivera (Plainfield, Ill.) scored twice.
 
Mezey suffered her second loss of the season (3-2), allowing four earned runs in four innings. Paulikas threw the final 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs with one strikeout (one walk).
 
Dominican scored all the runs it needed in the second inning when it scored three times without the benefit of a hit as NJCU committed two errors. Maike's two-run double in the fourth made it 7-0. NJCU collected its two runs in the top of the fifth; Paulikas had an RBI single. Alfaro's two-run double in the sixth made sure NJCU would not put together another comeback win.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Albion (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)): Even, 1-1. Albion won the last meeting, 1-0, on March 10, 2008.
• Series vs. Dominican (Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC)): Dominican leads, 3-0.
• Brittany Paulikas hit .517 on the trip with 15 hits (29 at bats) with 10 RBIs and four extra-base hits. She had a .724 slugging and .533 on-base percentage. She has 77 career hits and 47 RBIs
• Julie Squeo batted .423 on the trip with 11 hits, was hit by three pitches and owned a .500 on-base rate.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU heads back to the great Garden State and plays its 2017 home opener on Saturday, March 18 (12 p.m.) when it hosts York College (NY). It will start an eight-game home stand. It will be the first meeting between the schools.