GALLOWAY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University softball team traveled down to face Stockton on Saturday, April 27th to wrap up regular season New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. Head coach Ashley Martinez and team were looking to make their first non-COVID tournament birth since 2000, with a chance to tie that season's conference win total of six. The Gothic Knights had trouble stopping the Stockton offense in game 1, falling 10-2 in five innings. Game 2 was much closer, and despite NJCU having several opportunities to cash in with runners in scoring position, could not bring any home and dropped game 2 2-0.

Game 1: Stockton 10, NJCU 2 (5 innings)
Senior righty Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) got the start in the circle for Jersey City (11-22, 4-14 NJAC) in game 1. After a scoreless first for the Gothic Knights, Stockton (23-13, 13-5 NJAC) got right to it with the bats and put up a three spot in the home half. Miller bounced back in the second to maintain the score, and her offense cut into the lead in the third. A single by junior third baseman Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) got the inning underway, and freshman first baseman Emma Grochowski (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) reached on a throwing error, and Villanueva advanced to third. Rosales then singled up the middle, scoring Villanueva, and Grochowski made it to third. Tunney grounded out to second, but came out with a RBI after Grochowki came across to score and cut the score to 3-2. Unfortunately, this was as close as the team would get in game 1, as Stockton brought across a run in the bottom of the third, four in the fourth, and one in the fifth to win via mercy rule. 

Game 2: Stockton 2, NJCU 0
Junior shortstop Jordan Mendolla (Jersey City, N.J./Hudson Catholic) smashed a one-out double down the left field line in the top of the first, but the Gothic Knights weren't able to capitalize, with the following two batters retired after the hit. Senior pitcher Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) sent down the Ospreys in order, keeping it scoreless after one. However, in the bottom of the second, back to back singles to lead off the inning put the Green and Gold in trouble. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, a passed ball scored the first run of the game, then a sacrifice fly scored the second. In the third, sophomore left fielder Natalie Rosales (Union City, N.J./Jose Marti STEM Academy) hit an infield single to shortstop with one out, and a sacrifice bunt by senior center fielder Emily Tunney (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) moved senior Skylah Cartwright (Willingboro, N.J./Burlington County Tech) to second, who pinch ran for Rosales. Again, the runner at second was stranded to keep the score 2-0. After the two runs in the second, Dabbadie was dialed in, allowing just one baserunner to reach, and striking out four Ospreys in the remaining four innings. NJCU got another runner to second in the fourth, and threatened in the seventh, but were unable to plate any and dropped game 2 as well.

Up Next: 
The Gothic Knights finish NJAC play with a record of 4-14, the best under Martinez, the sixth year head coach for NJCU. Four NJAC victories are also the most for the program since 2009, when they went 5-13 in conference play. Martinez's team is not finished for the season yet, as they have two non-conference doubleheaders lined up for next week. NJCU hosts Centenary for a pair at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on Monday, April 29, with first pitch of game 1 scheduled for 3:00 p.m., and have a road doubleheader at Lehman on Tuesday, April 30 to close out the 2024 campaign.