JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University softball team played a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) home games on Thursday, April 21, against Kean University at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. The Gothic Knights played tough against a highly-touted Cougars squad in both ends of the doubleheader, going the distance in both, but unfortunately were defeated 4-1 and 7-0, respectively.
Game 1: Kean 4, NJCU 1
Things started out on a high note for the Gothic Knights (9-20, 1-20 NJAC) in this one as, after sophomore
Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) tossed a scoreless top of the first, NJCU came back in the bottom half and manufactured a run to take the early 1-0 lead. Senior shortstop
Alissa Bikowski (South Amboy, N.J./South Amboy) led off with a single to left and then moved over to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt from senior rightfielder
Katherine Ayala (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter). A gourndout from senior first baseman
Emma Herrick (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) then moved Bikowski to third where, thanks a seeing-eye single up the middle from Dabbadie, the shortstop was able to reach home safely.
Jersey City held that lead until the top of the third when Kean (24-6, 10-2 NJAC) tied it up with a two-out solo home run. NJCU got a rally going in the next half-inning, putting two runners on in scoring position with two outs, but was unable to capitalize. The final offense of the game happened in the top of the fifth with the Cougars managed to score three. Dabbadie ended up going 4.1 innings with four earned runs and four strikeouts in the loss. Sophomore
Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) entered the game in the top of the fifth and proceeded to toss 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit.
Game 2: Kean 7, NJCU 0
Sophomore
Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oak Crest) got the start in this one and was cruising through two innings, allowing one unearned with a strikeout. Unfortunately she came up gingerly in the bottom of the second after a failed stolen base attempt and could not continue in the pitching circle the following inning. Miller came back in as the NJCU reliever, but — again unfortunately — did not have the same success she saw in game one. The righthander was chased after allowing four earned over a third of an inning.
Enter Dabbadie and the California native dominated the Cougars the rest of the way. The sophomore did not allow an earned run over 4.2 innings, striking out seven and allowing just four hits. Despite her performance in the circle, the Gothic Knights were unable to muster any offense en route to the defeat.
Highlights:
- Dabbadie finished the day 2-for-4 with a RBI and a walk at the plate.
- In the circle, she ended her day with 9.0 innings, allowing four earned runs (3.11 ERA) with 11 strikeouts.
- Bikowski was 2-for-5 with two walks and scored a run.
Up Next:
The Green and Gold return to action on Saturday, April 23, for a road NJAC doubleheader at Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J.. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., followed by game two.
