MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University softball team (3-5) bounced back from a pair of losses on Wednesday with a pair of wins on Thursday, defeating their prior opponent, Holy Family (2-5), by a score of 8-2 in a game one revenge affair, and then topping Cazenovia College (0-5) in a tightly contested battle, 4-3, in the second game of the day. Both games went the full seven innings, with sophomore utility player Alissa Bikowski (South Amboy, NJ/South Amboy), tossing all 14 frames for the Knights, highlighted by a one-hitter against Holy Family.
 
Bikowski also contributed at the plate, leading off both games and collecting a combined four hits. Junior third baseman Dulce Almonte (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder via County Prep) was the offensive leader on the day, going a combined 5-for-8 with four runs and an RBI. Sophomore outfielder Gisselle Vigil and senior catcher Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) each came up clutch over and over with big hits, Vigil driving in four, while Scrimo knocked in three of her own.
 
The NJCU defense also did great work behind Bikowski, going all 14 innings without an error, while their opponents committed a combined 10 errors. 
 
Game 1: NJCU 8, Holy Family 2
As referenced above, game one of Thursday's twin billing was most notable for Bikowski tossing a one-hitter against the Lakers.
 
Bikowski struck out six, walking 11 with five hit batters against two runs but only allowed one hit on 146 pitches as NJCU outhit the Lakers, 11-1. Bikowski was 3-for-4 at the plate. Almonte batted 2-for-4 with two runs and Vigil had RBIs, batting 2-for-3.  Freshman second baseman Nina Alvarez (Jersey City, NJ/Saint Dominic Academy) scored twice.
 
The sophomore righty very nearly had a no-hitter, as she only allowed her first hit in the top of the sixth inning, after the Knights had a runner on third and a chance to eight-run rule the Lakers in the bottom of the fifth. Bikowski had six strikeouts on the day, as well as three hits at the plate to square off her well-rounded game.
 
The Knights got off to a good start, as Scrimo and Hailey Mojica (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) (1-for-3, 2 runs) made Holy Family pay for a couple of first inning miscues, driving in a combined three runs for the early 3-1 lead.
 
They doubled that lead in the second with Almonte both driving in and scoring a run each, to push the margin to 5-1.
 
The Knights made it three straight innings with a run on a Vigil triple in the third, with neither team scoring in the fourth.
 
NJCU very nearly ended the game in the fifth, as Vigil hit another triple in the gap to drive in two, but the Knights couldn't get her around from third to end the game, finishing off the win the old fashioned way two innings later.
 
Game 2: NJCU 4, Cazenovia 3

The second game of the day was an excellent match-up between two evenly matched opponents. Bikowski was called upon in the circle once again, and she delivered yet another gem, allowing just three runs on 10 hits over 108 pitches.
 
NJCU had an 11-10 edge in hits in the win, led by Almonte who was 3-for-4 with two runs and Scrimo, who batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Emma Herrick (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) was 2-for-3.
 
The Knights got the first run on the board in the bottom half of the first inning, as Scrimo delivered yet another two-out RBI, this time bringing around Almonte for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats responded in the top of the second, however, on a triple from Airelle Jacquette (Norwich, N.Y.) to even the game at 1-1.
 
The game stayed tied until the bottom of the third when—stop me if you've heard this before- Scrimo delivered a two-out hit to drive in Almonte. The next batter, Mojica, also delivered, and the Knights took the 3-1 edge.
 
A single from Abigail House (Central Square, N.Y.) and a double from Caila Benning (Greenville, N.Y.) brought the margin back down to one in the top of the fourth.
 
The two teams traded zeroes after that for a bit, with the Knights finally giving themselves a cushion in the bottom of the fifth thanks to yet another two-out Vigil hit.
 
That run ended up being all important, as the Wildcats came out hungry in the top half of the seventh. A single from Caitlin Kelleher (Schulylerville, N.Y.) was followed up by an RBI double from Hannah Croteau (Central Square, N.Y.) and right away the margin was down to 4-3.
 
After a walk, a pop-up, and a single, the bases were loaded with just one out and a precarious one-run lead for NJCU. Jacquette hit a looping liner over the head of shortstop Arianna Diaz (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), who made the catch, but her throw home wasn't in time to nab Croteau. However, the Knights wisely appealed that the runner had left third base early on her tag-up, and the home plate umpire agreed — ball game and victory to NJCU.
 
UP NEXT:
The Knights finish off their Spring Break trip with a match-up against La Roche University (5-0) at 9:00 a.m.
 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on NJCU softball and #NJCUSB, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtag is #GothicFamily and #GothicGameDay.