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

PURCHASE, N.Y. – The William Paterson softball team (7-4-1) earned a 2-1 victory at Manhattanville (5-6-1) March 24 before the second game was halted due to darkness after eight innings with the score tied at 5-5.

GAME ONE
Senior Lacey Santone's (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) fourth-inning sacrifice fly proved to be the difference in a 2-1 first-game decision.

Senior Christina Zippler (Blackwood, N.J./Washington Twp.) drew a walk to start the twin bill, advanced to second after sophomore Raquel Roder's (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) sacrifice attempt was good enough for a single, and moved to third on a Samantha Koenig (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) bunt. Zippler was able to cross the plate thanks to a Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) grounder back to the pitcher, making it a 1-0 score.

Two doubles produced a single run for the Valiants during the bottom of the third, but the Pioneers answered with the go-ahead run during their next at-bat. Vitale led off by reaching on an error and was lifted for pinch runner Mandy Muraca (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place). Junior Lindsey Nadolny (Belford N.J./Middletown North) followed with a single, and another Manhattanville error loaded the bases for Santone, who hit a fly ball to left that was deep enough to score Muraca from third base.

Zippler, Roder, Nadolny and junior Nicole Jimmerson (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) accounted for the Pioneers' four hits. Sophomore Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) evened her record at 4-4, allowing one run on four hits while collecting four strikeouts.

GAME TWO
Santone and junior Jillian Mulderig (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) each contributed a pair of hits but darkness ended the second game of the doubleheader with the two teams still tied at 5-5 after eight innings.

The Valiants got on the scoreboard with a RBI-double during the bottom of the first, and tacked on three more in the third, including a two-run homer, for a 4-0 advantage. Santone's solo home run led off the top of the fourth, and two singles and a fielder's choice brought junior Heather Mendez (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) to the plate with runners on the corners. Her double to left field cleared the bases and got William Paterson within one, 4-3.

Koenig doubled in Nadolny and was lifted for pinch runner Allyson Scerbo (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg), who later scored thanks to an error in the outfield, handing WP a 5-4 advantage. However, Manhattanville answered with a bases-loaded single, tying the score at 5-5 during the home half of the fifth inning.

Vitale started inside the circle and surrendered five runs on six hits in 4.1 innings. Graham pitched the final 3.2 innings and scattered three hits.

William Paterson will play its home opener Friday, March 26, against Baruch at 3:00 p.m.