JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Nationally No. 21 ranked Rowan University (19-6-1, 5-3 NJAC) received two sensational pitching performances and swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader from the New Jersey City University softball team (4-22, 0-10 NJAC) by scores of 8-0 and 11-0 on April 14 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. Both games were five-inning affairs due to the eight-run rule.
 
Rowan sophomore right-handed ace pitcher Jesse DeDomenico (East Windsor, N.J.) was dominant in game one, improving to 11-3 overall as she struck out seven (one walk) and allowed three hits over 65 pitches in 4.0 innings. Freshman righty Emily August (Mahwah, N.J.) struck out two in an inning of relief.
 
In game two, sophomore righty Lauren Shannon (Sewell, N.J.) struck out seven of the first nine batters she faced and eight total in 4.0 innings in a two-hit shutout performance to improve to 6-1. She walked none over 47 pitches before freshman righty Nina Rizzo (Mullica Hill, N.J.) retired the three batters she faced (one strikeout). Rowan pitching combined for its eighth and ninth shutouts of the season.
 
Junior shortstop Carly Anderson (Nutley, N.J.) led the Rowan offense, batting a combined 5-for-6 with four runs, three RBIs and three doubles. Senior right fielder Morgan Smith (Millsboro, Del.) combined to bat 6-for-6 on the day.
 
GAME 1: No. 21 Rowan 8, New Jersey City 0 (5 innings)
Behind the pitching of DeDomenico, the Profs prevailed, scoring in every inning. Rowan hit two home runs and had 12 hits in the game. Leading 2-0, Rowan added two runs apiece in the third, fourth and fifth innings. DeDomenico struck out the side in the fourth.
 
Anderson was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two doubles and two runs scored and Smith batted 4-for-4 with a solo homer. Junior center fielder Kristina Mueller (Basking Ridge, N.J.) walked and scored twice. Freshman first baseman KadyMae Makos (Millville, N.J.) hit a two-run pinch-hit homer in the top of the fifth to give Rowan the winning margin.
 
Senior center fielder Julie Squeo (Carlstadt, NJ/Becton Regional), junior third baseman Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown), sophomore left fielder Kayla Clarke (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) and sophomore catcher Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) accounted for NJCU's four hits; Gavin doubled in the loss.
 
                KEY MOMENTS:

• Rowan loaded the bases with no outs and scored on a sac fly by junior third baseman Cassandra Gerard (Wayne, N.J.), leading 1-0 after one inning. They stranded three runners on to end the frame.
• In the bottom of the first Gavin doubled to right center—just the sixth extra-base hit allowed by DeDomenico this season.
• Mueller led off the second with a walk, stole second and third, then scored on a hard chopper to third by Anderson for a 2-0 lead.
• In the bottom of the second, senior right fielder Melissa Mendoza walked on a 3-2 count and Clarke singled through the left side to give NJCU two runners on with no outs but the Gothic Knights couldn't plate a run.
• In the third, freshman designated player Christina Guarino (West Caldwell, N.J.) doubled with two outs and a walk and bunt single loaded the bags. Anderson deposited a two-run double to left to make it 4-0. Rowan left two runners in scoring position.
• In the fourth, Smith yanked an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for a 5-0 lead with her sixth homer of the season. A sixth run came in on a delayed double steal at first and third with the runner being tagged out at second.
• In the top of the fifth, Anderson doubled with two outs for the second straight inning and Makos lined a 2-2 pitch down the left field line for her first career homer and an 8-0 lead.

 
GAME 2: No. 21 Rowan 11, New Jersey City 0 (5 innings)
Rowan scored four runs in the top of the first and led 6-0 through four innings before putting the game away with five runs in the visitors fifth. NJCU could only muster a pair of hits off the gem spun by Shannon.
 
Rowan had 14 hits in the win. Anderson and freshman left fielder Rebecca Lombardo (New Egypt, N.J.) each batted 2-for-3 with two runs and Makos contributed three RBIs in a 1-for-2 (one run) effort. Smith batted 2-for-2 (one run).
 
Also for the Profs, Mueller had an inside-the-park homer and drove in two runs and freshman Kelly Duffy (Sayreville, N.J.) had a pinch-hit two-run double. Freshman second baseman Sonia Sharma (Mahwah, N.J.) was 2-for-3.
 
Scrimo and junior right-handed pitcher Christina Mezey (Jersey City, NJ/Saint Dominic Academy) had NJCU's two hits in game two. Mezey suffered the losses in the circle in both games.
 
KEY MOMENTS:

• In the top of the first, Rowan threatened right away with singles by Anderson and Lombardo before a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Makos was hit by a pitch to make it 1-0. A groundout by Gerard made it 2-0. Senior catcher Nicole Paiotti (Oakland, N.J.) and Sharma had back-to-back RBI singles to left for a 4-0 lead.
• Shannon struck out the side in the bottom of the first.
• In the second, Anderson doubled and Lombardo and Smith had back-to-back infield singles to load the bases. A wild pitch made it 5-0. A sharply hit line drive to center by Makos became a sac fly for a 6-0 lead when Squeo made a great catch at the fence.
• Shannon struck out the first four batters of the game, all swinging. Mezey's bloop single into no man's land in left center gave NJCU its first baserunner. Shannon fanned five batters through two innings, all swinging.
• Rowan put the game away with four runs in the top of the fifth. A pinch hit-two-run double to left center by Duffy pushed the lead to 8-0. With Duffy at second, Mueller had an impressive play—changing her grip mid-pitch to rip an inside pitch down the right field line and into the corner. She used speed to round the bases and score standing for a two-run inside-the-park homer. Makos later doubled home the 11th run.

 
NOTABLES:

• Rowan is ranked No. 21 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association [NFCA] Division III Top 25 poll.
• Rowan leads the all-time series, 40-0.

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU is heads to Montclair, N.J. to face Montclair State University in an NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 17, beginning at 3 p.m. Montclair (17-9, 5-5 NJAC) leads the all-time series, 38-2.

 
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