MONTCLAIR, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Montclair State University swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader from the New Jersey City University softball team on April 16, winning 13-0 and 19-0, both in five innings, at the MSU Softball Stadium.
 
With the wins, Montclair State improved to 26-8 on the season and 7-5 in the NJAC. The game two win was No. 900 in the career of legendary MSU softball coach Anita Kubicka, now in her 29th season. She is MSU's all-time winningest coach in any sport and becomes the eighth coach in Division III history to reach the 900-win plateau (900-353-2). NJCU fell to 4-24 (0-10 NJAC) with the defeats.
 
NJCU batted as the home team in both games in a doubleheader which saw a venue change from Jersey City.
 
GAME 1: Montclair State 13, NJCU 0 (5 innings)
Behind the pitching and bat of junior right-handed pitcher Valentina Cucci (Bronx, N.Y.), MSU prevailed in five innings. MSU outhit NJCU, 12-1. The Red Hawks scored eight runs in the top of the fifth after scoring five runs in the first two innings.
 
Cucci tossed a one-hitter to improve to 8-2 on the season. She struck out five, walked none and the only base runner was junior shortstop Dulce Almonte (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder via County Prep) who doubled for NJCU with one out in the first inning.
 
Cucci drove in four RBIs, batting 2-for-4 with a run scored and junior left fielder Blake Saperstein (Livingston, N.J.) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs including her fourth home run of the season. Senior right fielder Lia Stamile (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
 
Sophomore shortstop Amber Powers (Newton, N.J.) scored three times and junior designated player Kaylee Powers (Newton, N.J.) scored twice.
 
GAME 2: Montclair State 19, NJCU 0 (5 innings)
Junior righty Kiara Ruiz (Wharton, N.J.) threw a no-hitter to lead Montclair State to victory. She struck out five and walked just one in 5.0 innings. She improved to 7-3. Montclair scored four times in the first inning and scored nine times in the second to build a 13-0 lead before taking on six runs in the final two innings. Senior center fielder Shaylah Ware (Newark, NJ/Science Park) drew a third-inning walk for NJCU.
 
Montclair State had 21 hits in the game. Amber Powers was 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs and Kaylee Powers batted 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs. Cucci, who was a combined 5-for-8 with seven RBIs on the day, had three RBIs in game two, batting 3-for-4 with two runs.
 
Also for MSU, Saperstein went 3-for-4 with two runs. Sophomore catcher Alexa Penna (Hillsborough, N.J.) scored three times, batting 2-for-4 with two RBIs and freshman second baseman Taylor Brown (Trumbull, Conn.) scored three times (2-for-2). Stamile and senior center fielder Sam DiClementi (Washington Township, N.J.) each knocked in two runs.
 
UP NEXT:
NJCU will head to Frederick Douglass Field in Newark, N.J. on Thursday, April 18 when it faces Rutgers-Newark in a rescheduled NJAC doubleheader.
 
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