NAPLES, Fla. – The New Jersey City University softball team, having played only New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) competition in 2021, picked up its first victory since March 12, 2020 – the day their season came to an unceremonious end due to COVID. The Gothic Knights fought hard all day long today, Friday, March 11, and nearly came away with a pair of victories thanks to some clutch hitting and strong pitching. NJCU exploded for seven runs in the seventh to come back and topple Immaculata University 9-4 in game one, and then just missed out on another win in its 4-2 loss to the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford to close out the week.
 
Game 1 – NJCU 9, Immaculata 4
The Mighty Macs (0-8) struck first in this one as a runner snuck across the plate during a pickle between first and second on an unsuccessful steal attempt. Then, the offense was silent for both squads until NJCU (1-9) took its first lead of the day. Sophomore Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) was dealing in the circle for the Gothic Knights. She went the full 7.0 innings, allowing just one earned on seven hits with four strikeouts to record the first win of her collegiate career.
 
Sophomore Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oak Crest) led off with a walk and then stole second. Senior Emma Herrick (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) – who had a very efficient doubleheader at the plate overall – knocked one up the middle to plate Tunney (Herrick advanced to second on the throw home that was not in time to get Tunney). Sophomore Bianca Figueroa (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder) came in to pinch run for Herrick and advanced to third in the next at-bat. Sophomore Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) came in as a pinch hitter and, with one out, sent a grounder to second for the RBI to give her squad the 2-1 lead.
 
After Immaculata put up three unearned in the home half of the sixth, the Green and Gold found themselves trailing once again, 4-2, heading into the top of the seventh – the comeback was on. Things got started with one out and the bases loaded. It was then that Tunney struck once again with a two-run single up the middle to tie it up at 4-4. Then, after Herrick was hit by a pitch and senior Katherine Ayala (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) continued her strong play of late with an infield single, the bases were loaded with one out once more.
                                                                            
Dabbadie decided to back up her strong pitching performance with a run-scoring single up the middle to keep the bases loaded. The very next batter, sophomore Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic), inherited the juiced base pads. She drew the walk to force in a run and then freshman Abby Castro (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) followed up by doing the exact same thing – NJCU now led 7-4. Finally, with two outs and the bases still loaded, senior Alissa Bikowski (South Amboy, N.J./South Amboy) smacked a two-run single down the line in left to complete the comeback at 9-4.
 
Game 2 – Pitt-Bradford 4, NJCU 2
Miller followed up Dabbadie's performance in the circle in game one with a strong one of her own against the Panthers (3-9). She also went the full 7.0 innings but did not allow an earned run in the loss. Neither squad amounted any offense until Pitt-Bradford struck first with a pair in the top of the third.
 
The Gothic Knights got one back in each of the next two innings to knot it up at 2-2 through four. With two outs and the bases loaded – a familiar scenario from last game – Herrick forced in the RBI by drawing the walk. In the next bottom half inning, Miller led off with an infield single. Figueroa once again came in to pinch run, made it to second on a wild pitch and then to third following a sacrifice bunt from Villanueva. Castro closed out the inning with a run-scoring groundout to tie it up.
 
The Panthers answered with two runs in the top of the fifth, and NJCU was unable to respond as the game ended at 4-2 after seven full innings.
 
Highlights:
- Herrick finished the DH a combined 2-for-4 with two walks, a hit-by-pitch, a double, two RBI and a run scored.
- Both Villanueva and Tunney had .500 OBPs. The former was 1-for-4 with a run, two walks and a RBI, while the latter was 1-for-5, also with two RBI, scored twice, drew three walks and stole a base.
- Both Bikowski and freshman Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) joined Herrick in the multi-hit club today.
 
Up Next:
Jersey City now takes a much-needed week-long breather before returning to action for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, March 19, starting at 1:00 p.m. against Baruch College. NJCU and the Bearcats will faceoff at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex for the Gothic Knights' home-opener. The two programs have not met since 2016 – prior to head coach Ashley Martinez' tenure at the helm – but the Green and Gold currently own a five-game winning streak against the Bearcats.