Box Score (Clarke)
Box Score (Anderson)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The William Paterson softball team (2-0) began its season with a pair of victories at the Rebel Spring Games March 15, defeating Clarke (Iowa), 3-2, and Anderson (Ind.), 4-0.

Clarke took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but the Pioneers answered with two in the second. Sophomore Katelyn Braun (Philadelphia, Pa./Gloucester Catholic) tripled home Ana Abourashed (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex), and Jillian Mulderig's (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) single plated Braun for a 2-1 lead.

Clarke evened the score with a run in the third, but freshman Lindsey Nadolny (Belford, N.J./Middletown North) won it for the Pioneers with a solo home run in the seventh. The Pioneers' five hits came from five different players, while senior Diana Schraer (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) scattered five hits over 7.0 innings for the victory (1-0).

During the second game of the day, William Paterson scored one run in the third and three in the fifth in the 4-0 victory. Braun and Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) were each 2-for-3, as Braun had two doubles and Reilly scored a pair of runs. Freshman Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) threw the complete-game shutout (1-0), allowing nine hits while striking out four. She also helped her own cause at the plate with a two-RBI double in the fifth.

William Paterson will face Bethany (11:00 a.m.) and Carthage (3:00 p.m.) on Sunday, March 16.