JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University softball team hosted The College of New Jersey at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on Saturday, April 20, for a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader on Senior Day. Prior to first pitch for game one, the Gothic Knights celebrated their seven graduating seniors — Hailey Mojica (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), Skylah Cartwright (Willingboro, N.J./Burlington County Tech), Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic), Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest), Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) and Nicole Weinbel (Clifton, N.J./Clifton). Once play began, NJCU pushed the Lions in both contests, falling in game one, 6-0, and then dropping game two, 3-1.

Game 1: TCNJ 6, NJCU 0
Pitching was paramount in the first game as Dabbadie held the Lions (21-9, 8-6 NJAC) off the board in the top of the first, including a stellar throw from Villanueva from behind the plate to catch the leadoff runner stealing. NJCU (10-17, 4-10 NJAC) and TCNJ were both held off the board in the firs two innings before the Lions scratched across the game's first run in the top of the third via a two-out double. TCNJ tacked on one more in the fourth to take the 2-0 lead before doing most of the offensive damage in the top of the five, scoring three runs to take a 5-0 advantage. The Gothic Knights moved runners into scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to push them across the plate in the loss.

Game 2: TCNJ 3, NJCU 1
Miller was dominant in the second half of the twin-bill for the Green and Gold, tossing the full 7.0 innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits with three strikeouts — she dropped her team-leading ERA to under three at 2.98 in the process. A crazy top of the first, that saw both errors and impressive defensive plays, ended with Miller working out of a two-out jam to keep it scoreless. Thanks in part to an error in the second, the Lions took the 1-0 lead before going up 2-0 after a two-out single in the third plated another run.

After TCNJ went down in order in the top of the fourth, the Gothic Knights cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom. Junior catcher Abby Castro (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) started it off with a one-out double to left. Two at-bats later, Mojica knocked in a run via a single to the gap in left, working her way into and out of a pickle between first and second and getting in safely in the process. The Lions nearly scored again in the top of the fifth, but some more stellar defensive play from NJCU, which included an inning-ended double play by junior third base Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic), keeping it at 2-1. TCNJ did get one more run in the top of the seventh via a two-out single for the final of 3-1.

Highlights:
- Mojica finished the day going 2-for-6 at the plate, including a double and a RBI. Four other Gothic Knights notched hits on the afternoon.
- The game two 3-1 defeat was the closest game in the series since 2014 when NJCU drop a 6-4 game down in Ewing, N.J. The game prior to that was a 4-3 NJCU win at home back on April 20, 2013.

Up Next:
NJCU remains alone in seventh place in the NJAC standings, just one game back of Rutgers-Camden for that sixth and final spot in the elusive conference tournament. The Gothic Knights return to action on Tuesday afternoon, April 23, for a road NJAC doubleheader at Ramapo College, who is currently tied for second place. Game one first pitch in Mahwah, N.J., is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.