Box Score (Game #1) 
Box Score (Game #2) 

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. – William Paterson (21-5, 8-4 NJAC) cruised to a 5-0 first-game victory at Montclair State (18-11, 6-5 NJAC) April 14, but the Red Hawks rallied from a 3-2 deficit to earn an 8-6, eight-inning win during the softball doubleheader's second game.

GAME ONE
Freshman Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) tossed a one-hitter and faced just two batters more than the minimum in a 5-0 opening victory for the Pioneers.

The Red Hawks did not get a runner on base until the bottom of the sixth, when leadoff hitter Adrian Rastocny drew a walk, the first free pass issued by Graham this season in 61.2 innings of work. The very next hitter, Samantha Depken, lined a ball back up the middle that hit Graham in the torso, Montclair's lone hit of the game.

Sophomore Jillian Mulderig (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) scampered home on a wild pitch, and senior Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) scored thanks to a two-out error, giving William Paterson a 2-0, third-inning lead.

The Pioneers added a single run in the sixth after a passed ball allowed pinch runner Danielle DeDomenico (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) to score from third base, and RBI-singles from junior Christina Zippler (Blackwood, N.J./Washington Twp.) and sophomore Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) during the top of the seventh finished the scoring for the Pioneers.

Sophomore Heather Mendez (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) was 3-for-3 at the plate, while Zippler was 2-for-4 with a run-batted-in. Graham improved to 9-2, and MSU's Kelly Karp took the loss (9-5) after allowing all five runs (three earned) and nine hits, striking out nine Pioneers and walking two.

GAME TWO
Two Red Hawk runs during the top of the eighth were enough to salvage a split for Montclair State, producing a come-from-behind 8-6 victory.

MSU scored first with a single run in the top of the first, using a walk, sacrifice and Jennifer Jimenez run-scoring double. The Pioneers immediately tied the score during the bottom half of the same inning, as Reilly led off with a single to left, moved to second thanks to a Zippler sacrifice, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored due to a Vitale double to left field.

Amanda Livsey gave MSU a 2-1 edge with a solo home run in the third, but Mendez made it a 3-2 WP advantage with a two-run homer, her second of the season.

Neither team scored again until the top of the seventh, when Montclair State knocked out five hits to push across four runs and pull ahead by a 6-3 score. Lindsey Nadolny (Belford, N.J./Middletown North) and Vitale singled to start things off for WP during the bottom of the seventh, and following a strikeout, pinch hitter Ashlie Gaynor (Berlin, N.J./Eastern) delivered another base hit, this one up the middle to plate Nadolny. Sophomore Nicole Jimmerson (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) later hit a two-out single to left to drive in pinch runner Danielle Ballard (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook), and junior Lacey Santone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) knocked in the tying run with a base hit to right field, sending the game to extra innings.

Depken doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth, and a Leslie Gonzalez RBI-triple accounted for the final 8-6 margin. William Paterson had the bases loaded during the bottom of the eighth, but two strikeouts and a game-ending groundout finished the Pioneers' comeback effort.

Vitale was 3-for-5, while Mendez, Reilly, Nadolny, Jimmerson and Santone each had two hits for William Paterson.

Sophomore Kerrie Mascarelli (Montvale, N.J./Pascack Hills) started for WP and pitched the first 1.2 innings, surrendering one run on one hit. Graham hurled the final 6.1 innings and gave up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits, striking out five and walking two (9-3).

William Paterson will host John Jay Thursday, April 16, at 3:00 p.m.