JERSEY CITY, N.J. — What a way to put the finishing touches on a season! Fifth-year New Jersey City University softball head coach Ashley Martinez nearly guided her squad to the same amount of wins this season as she had amassed in four seasons entering the year. The Gothic Knights ended the 2023 season with 15 victories, the most under Martinez' tenure as NJCU swept Lehman College at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on Tuesday afternoon, May 2. Playing a major role in that sweep was junior pitcher Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs), who struck out a career-best 13 batters in the game one, 8-0 five-inning victory for her third-career no-hitter. That strikeout total is also a single-game program record. Not to be outdone, junior Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) and freshman Yavely Marrero (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) combined for a one-hit, 7-1, win in game two against the Lightning.

Game 1: NJCU 8, Lehman 0 (5 innings)
After a scoreless first, in which each team's pitcher faced the minimum — Dabbadie struck out the first two batters she faced — NJCU (15-23) struck first with a four-run bottom of the second against the Lightning (4-16). Sophomore first baseman Jaelynn Barrios (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) led off with a double to left before coming around to score on the next play as Dabbadie reached safely on an errant throw at third — she ended up at third at the conclusion of the play — to make it 1-0. Freshman outfielder Natalie Rosales (Union City, N.J./Jose Marti STEM Academy) was then plunked to put runners on the corners. A passed ball allowed Dabbadie to score, while Rosales stole second before the ball was misplayed. Miller then dropped down a bunt single to the pitcher, reaching first without a throw. However, second base was uncovered and Miller made a run for it. A tough errant throw from the pitcher allowed Rosales to score from third, making it 3-0. Miller then got over to third on a wild pitch before a RBI groundout from sophomore third baseman Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) closed out the scoring for the inning.

Dabbadie, who struck out three in the second, turned down the side on strikes in the top of the third to bring her total to eight before Jersey City put up four more runs in the home half. Junior second baseman Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) led of with a single to left before sophomore catcher Abby Castro (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) roped a base hit to right to put runners on the corners for Barrios. The hard-hitting sophomore laced a double down the line in left to plate two, making it 6-0. Two at-bats later, Rosales singled to center to plate Barrios and make it 7-0. Rosales then reached second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout and eventually came around to score on a passed ball, closing out the scoring at 8-0.

Dabbadie then struck out two in the top of the fourth to get to 10 before striking out the side in the top of the fifth, setting a career mark, as well as the single-game program record. She surpasses the previous mark of 12, which she reached against Baruch College at home on March 19, 2022, as well as Karen Masters '02 (HOF '08), who struck out 12 batters on four occasions. Additionally, Dabbadie's three-career no-hitters (all this season) match Masters' career total of three, two of which are still the only perfect games in program history.

Game 2: NJCU 7, Lehman 1
Lehman actually took the lead to start out in this one, scoring a run in the top of the first via an error, a wild pitch and a RBI groundout — no actual hits. NJCU eventually answered to tie it up in the bottom of the second. Miller led off with a single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch and got to third on a sac bunt from Rosales before a sacrifice fly from Mya brought her home to make it 1-1. Jersey City then blew it open in the bottom of the third.

Junior shortstop Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oak Crest) led off with a double to right before Mariah was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Castro then singled to center, plating Tunney for the eventual game-winning run. Castro then stole second to put two runners in scoring position before Barrios smacked yet another double — her third of the day and team-leading 10th of the season — to plate Mariah and make it 3-1. Miller then knocked in two with a single up the middle to make it 5-1. Marrero came in to pinch run — she eventually took over in the pitching circle, as well — and immediately stole second. A Rosales single then put runners on the corners before she too stole second. A wild pitch allowed Marrero to score and Rosales to move to third. Mya then had her second sac fly of the day, scoring Rosales for the game's final run.

Miller finished with 3.0 innings pitched in the start, did not allow a hit or an earned run and struck out a career-high-tying five batters. Marrero then swooped in for her third win of the season, tossing 4.0 innings without allowing a run and struck out four batters. The Lightning did manage a leadoff single in the top of the seventh to break up what would have been the first combined no-hitter in program history. 

Highlights:
- Barrios finished the day 3-for-6 with three RBI, three doubles and three runs scored.
- Rosales was 2-for-3 with three runs, a RBI, a hit-by-pitch, a sac bunt and two stolen bases.
- At the plate, Miller was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
- Castro ended 2-for-5 with two runs, a RBI and a stolen base.