WAYNE, N.J. — The New Jersey City University softball team played a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) contests on Tuesday afternoon, April 13, at William Paterson University. The Gothic Knights fell to the Pioneers in both games, 8-0 and 12-3, respectively, as a couple of rookie pitchers took the circle for NJCU.

The Gothic Knights (0-8, 0-8 NJAC) stood behind freshman righty Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs), who tossed 4.2 innings in the loss in game one. The rookie held WPU (6-6, 5-3 NJAC) in check for the most part, allowing just three earned runs (four total) over her first 4.0 innings before the Pioneers put up four to end the game in the bottom of the fifth at 8-0. She also picked up a pair of strikeouts.

Game two saw righthanded rookie Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) make her first-career collegiate start in the circle. She went the full 4.0 innings, allowing nine earned with a strikeout.

NJCU notched six hits and three ones offensively in this one. The scoring for the Gothic Knights got started in the top of the second. Freshman Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) led off with a single up the middle, and she was then moved over to second via a sac bunt from junior Gisselle Vigil (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson). Junior Katherina Ayala then sent a single through the left side to put runners on the corners. Three at-bats later, with two outs, senior Dulce Almonte (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder via County Prep) recorded her second RBI of the season with an infield single to short to plate Villanueva.

NJCU got two more runs across in the top of the third as well. Junior Emma Herrick (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) led off with a single up the middle, stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch as Dabbadie was taking first following a walk. Villanueva then grounded out to second for the RBI to plate Herrick. Dabbadie later advanced to third on another wild pitch one one out. Vigil was up next and reached safely thanks to an error on the Pioneers' pitcher and notched the RBI as Villanueva scored. William Paterson did, however, put up four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 12-3, which ended the game after the following half inning.

What's Next
The Gothic Knights play host to Rutgers-Newark for a pair of games at The Thomas M. Gerrity Complex on Saturday, April 17. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by game two. Follow all the action live on GothicVision.