Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NAPLES, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | On the final day of the 2019 New Jersey City University softball team's Florida trip, the Knights fell to Knox College (1-6) by a score of 9-0 and RIT (5-7) by a score of 8-0—both ending after five innings.  NJCU collected just seven combined hits on the day, but two of those came from four-year senior Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown), who now sits on 97 career hits and is closing in on becoming the 15th Gothic Knight to join the 100-hit club the next time the Knights take the field.
 
Game 1: Knox 9, NJCU 0 (5 innings)
In a game that was delayed 40 minutes due to a tournament schedule mix-up, the Prairie Fire of Knox did well to recover quickly, scoring at least one run in the final four innings to put the game to bed in the fifth.
 
Sophomore utility player Mady Ferris (Sterling, Ill.) got things started with a one-out RBI single, but Amber Hunter (Piscataway, NJ/Arts (Newark)) did well to respond in the circle, getting the final two batters of the inning to keep the margin at one.
 
However, after Gavin led off the second with a double and was stranded there, the Prairie Fire tripled their lead in the top of the third taking advantage of a fluky infield fly to have sophomore right fielder Clare Hensley (Kirkwood, MO) drive in a pair with one out.
 
The Knights got a runner into scoring position in the fourth, and they had Ariana Moore (Linden, NJ/Linden) on third base with one out in the fifth, but the game ended on a line drive double play- one of several NJCU liners to find gloves during the game—allowing Knox to pick Moore off second and end the game at 9-0.
 
Knox compiled 14 hits with Hensley leading the way going 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Sophomore first baseman Casey Hipp (Crown Point, Ind.) was also 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. Junior second baseman Katy Coseglia (Willowbrook, Ill.) drove in two runs while Ferris and freshman left fielder Britney Salinas (Lindenwood, Ill.) each had two hits. Freshman Gabbi Diaz (Galesburg, Ill.) won her first career game, allowing four hits with one K in a shutout performance.
 
Game 2: RIT 8, NJCU 0 (5 innings)
In the final game of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic for the Knights, they faced a strong opponent in the form of RIT, out of the Liberty League. The Tigers showed their prowess early with a home run in the top half of the first inning that came just pitches after their first run came across via a wild pitch.
 
Tiger pitcher, freshman righty Abcde Cortinas (San Antonio, Texas) was locked in all day, putting down the Knights in order in both the first and second before sophomore third baseman Dulce Almonte (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder via County Prep) broke up the perfect game with a single in the bottom of the third, eventually moving to second on a single from Maria Montes (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris). However, the Knights couldn't bring anyone around, leaving the margin at 5-0 after three innings.
 
Gavin collected her 97th hit in the fourth inning, but it was the Tigers who saw crooked numbers on the scoreboard, putting up three runs to move the edge to 8-0 heading into the fifth.
 
The Knights stayed aggressively at the plate, striking out only once all game, but their balls in play found gloves, and the game ended 8-0 with the Cortinas (2-1) throwing only 33 pitches in the complete-game effort. She allowed just three hits and struck out one in the shutout.
 
Senior third baseman Sarah Thayer (Tully, N.Y.) scored twice in a 2-for-2 effort and freshman catcher Jennifer Vickery (Gloversville, N.Y.) and sophomore shortstop Raquel Estrada (Middletown, N.Y.) each drove in a pair; Estrada bagged her first homer of the year.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series vs. Knox: First meeting vs. the Midwest Conference school.
• Series vs. RIT: First meeting since March 2006. RIT won that meeting, 2-0, and leads the two all-time matchups, 2-0.
• Chase for 100: Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) needs just three hits to become the 15th Gothic Knights to register 100 career hits.

 
UP NEXT:
After playing 12 games in seven days, the Gothic Knights now get a 10-day break from action, returning to the field on Monday, March 25 for a doubleheader against John Jay College (2-0) at 3 and 5:00 p.m. as NJCU plays both its northern and home opener at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
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