Box Score 

MAHWAH, N.J. – Second-seeded William Paterson (33-7) finished off a victory during the opening game of the NCAA Softball Tournament Mahwah Regional with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, completing a 9-2 win against seventh-seeded Muhlenberg (19-16) May 8 after the game was halted due to darkness the previous evening at Ramapo College.

The Pioneers, ranked 16th in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Poll, will play third-seeded Rowan in a winner's bracket game May 8 at 5:00 p.m. The Profs defeated sixth-seeded Farmingdale State, 7-1, on May 7. 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.

After rain and poor field conditions pushed back the start times of each of the previous three games on May 7, the Pioneers and the Mules finally started the day's final game at 6:30 p.m. and were only able to complete five innings before darkness halted play. William Paterson posted a single run during the home half of the first inning when leadoff hitter Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, 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 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.

Once play was resumed at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Muhlenberg had a flyout, strikeout, single and groundout during the top of the sixth before the Pioneers pushed across four runners during the bottom of the inning. Santone reached first on an error to start the frame, and Mulderig's sacrifice attempt was well placed and resulted in a bunt single. Reilly walked to load the bases, followed by a Zippler two-run base hit through the left side of the infield. Vitale later doubled to left to plate Reilly and Zippler and finish the scoring. The Mules were retired in order during the top of the seventh to end the contest.

Freshman Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) sat down 15 of the last 16 batters she faced in order to improve to 15-4. She struck out four Mules while allowing two runs on four hits. Zippler was 2-for-4 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored, and Vitale went 2-for-3, hit a double and drove in three runs.