JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University softball squad made it three New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victories in four tries on Tuesday, April 16. The Gothic Knights, fresh off their first NJAC doubleheader sweep since 2012 and first NJAC win via eight-run mercy rule since 2009, continued their momentum today at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex against Montclair State University. NJCU took the early lead in game one, but wound up floundering in the middle innings and falling 10-2  to the Red Hawks. However, head coach Ashley Martinez regrouped her team for game two, and the Green and Gold bounced back in a big way, walking off via a massively exciting bunt squeeze play with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the seventh to win it 4-3. The victory is their first over Montclair since 2009, as well as the most NJAC wins (4) for NJCU since that 2009 season.

Game 1: Montclair 10, NJCU 2
It was NJCU (10-15, 4-8 NJAC) that took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a hit, as well as a couple of Montclair (13-17, 3-9 NJAC) errors. Senior shortstop Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) led off by reaching safely on an error and then rookie rightfielder Alonah Olden (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George) moved her over with a sacrifice bunt. Two at-bats later, junior designated player Abby Castro (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) brought Tunney home with a RBI single to right. After a scoreless second for both teams, however, it was the Red Hawks that put up two in the top of the third on a bases loaded, two-out single to left. The visitors then put five more on the board in the top of the fourth via three hits and two NJCU errors to take a 7-1 lead.

After Montclair scored another one in the top of the fifth via a couple of fielding errors, NJCU got one back in the bottom of the sixth, also thanks in part to a Red Hawks error. Casto led off with an infield single and junior second baseman Jordan Mendolla (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) walked three at-bats later with two outs. Junior centerfielder Cheyenn Fulton (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) followed by reaching first via an error in the outfield, allowing Castro to score to make it 8-2. Montclair added on two more in the top of the seventh to close out the 10-2 win. Senior righthander Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) did strike out six batters, but was tagged for five earned runs in the loss.

Game 2: NJCU 4, Montclair 3
The bottom half of the doubleheader got started roughly 30 minutes late with game one clocking in at over two hours. However, both pitchers made up for that quickly as NJCU senior righthander Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) tossed 4.0 innings of no-hit ball to start her day off, while the Red Hawks game two starter kept the Gothic Knights off the board through three innings of play. The Green and Gold came alive for a few runs in the bottom of the fourth, though, to take a 3-0 lead.

Castro, catching in this one, starting things off on a one-out error and then junior Marietta Angulo (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) came in to pinch run. Junior first base Jaelynn Barrios (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) singled next to put two runners on before junior third baseman Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) loaded the bases with a single. Mendolla — at short in this one — answered the bell next with a two-run double to the gap in left, making it 2-0. Fulton, now playing second, followed with a RBI groundout to plate Villanueva and make it 3-0.

Montclair chipped away at that lead in the top of the fifth with a two-out, one run double to make it 3-1 and prompt a quick pitching change, as Miller gave way to freshman righthander Maggie Martin (Spring Lake Heights, N.J./Manasquan), who closed out the inning with the third out. NJCU could not produce more offense in the home half and the the Red Hawks tagged Martin for a couple in the sixth to tie it up at 3-3. Miller re-entered in the circle in the top of the seventh and did her job, keeping Montclair off the board and maintaining the tie game.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Tunney — playing centerfield in this one — opened with a double down the third base line to put a runner in scoring position on the 95th hit of her collegiate career. Senior leftfielder Skylah Cartwright (Willingboro, N.J./Burlington County Tech) followed with a well-executed sacrifice bunt to advance Tunney to third with two outs. Finally, senior designated player Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) came up with a chance to win it. Down to her last strike, she dropped down a gutsy bunt for the squeeze, Tunney crossed home plate and Villanueva was safe at first for the exhilarating walk-off.



Highlights:
- NJCU is now in a tie with Rugers-Camden for sixth place in the NJAC with six conference games remaining. The program has not qualified for the six-team NJAC Tournament since 2000 when the conference had two divisions, white and blue.
- Miller finished game two with 5.2 innings pitched, earned the win with one earned on four hits and one strikeout. She has now won two straight starts — both in NJAC play. Miller leads NJCU with a 3.22 ERA over 58.2 innings this season.
- Tunney followed up her outstanding week last week with a 5-for-8 day at the plate today, scoring twice with a double and a couple of stolen bases.
- Mendolla was 1-for-3 with a couple of walks, was hit by a pitch, doubled and had two RBI.
- Castro was 2-for-7 with a run and a RBI, while Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) was 2-for-8 with that game-winning RBI.

Up Next:
NJCU looks to keep the momentum going on Thursday afternoon, April 18, with a road non-conference doubleheader at Hunter College, starting at 3:00 p.m. on Randall's Island. After that, the Gothic Knights return to the Gerrity and NJAC play for Senior Day against The College of New Jersey on Saturday, April 20. Game one is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.