MAHWAH, N.J. – Second-seeded William Paterson (32-7) owned a 5-2 lead after five innings against seventh-seeded Muhlenberg (19-16) before the game was halted due to darkness in the first round of the NCAA Softball Tournament Mahwah Regional May 7 at Ramapo College.

The Pioneers, ranked 16th in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Poll, will resume their game against the Mules Friday, May 8, at 10:00 a.m. The winner will play third-seeded Rowan in a winner's bracket game May 8 at 5:00 p.m., while the loser will play sixth-seeded Farmingdale State in an elimination game May 8 at 1:00 p.m. The Profs defeated the Rams, 7-1, earlier on Thursday.

Game scores and the bracket match-ups will be updated at http://www.ramapoathletics.com/sports/2009/4/29/SB_0429092652.aspx.

The NCAA Tournament Mahwah Regional is an eight-team, double-elimination format. The winner will advance to the NCAA Division III Softball Championship Finals May 15-19 at the Montclair State University Softball in Montclair, N.J.

William Paterson posted a single run during the home half of the first inning when leadoff hitter Meghan Reilly (Middlessex, N.J./Middlesex) was hit by a pitch and junior center fielder Christina Zippler (Blackwood, N.J./Washington Twp.) followed with a run-scoring double to right-center. However, Brittany Blohm gave the Mules a 2-1 edge with her second-inning, two-run homer just inside the left foul pole.

The Pioneers stormed back for four runs in the second. Sophomore Heather Mendez (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) drew a leadoff walk and junior Lacey Santone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) singled to right before sophomore Jillian Mulderig (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) put down a sacrifice bunt and Reilly walked to load the bases with one out. After freshman Rebecca McClure (New Milford, N.J./New Milford) was inserted to pinch run for Santone at second base, Zippler hit a ball back to Muhlenberg pitcher Alyssa Bruckner, who threw the ball to catcher RiRi Ferrigno for the force out, but Ferrigno never really had control and the ball got away from her as she stepped off the plate and attempted to throw to first. The play resulted in an error charged to Ferrigno as two runs scored, pushing WP back ahead by a 3-2 count. Sophomore Lindsey Nadolny's (Belford, N.J./Middletown North) grounder down the first-base line was enough to drive in Reilly, and classmate Jenna Vitale's (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) infield single to second base scored Zippler, handing William Paterson a 5-2 advantage. Freshman Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) then sat down the next nine batters she faced in order to keep it a three-run Pioneer lead.