Box Score (Game #1)
Box Score (Game #2)
WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (14-5-1, 3-1 NJAC) saw its 10-game unbeaten streak end during a doubleheader split against visiting Richard Stockton (13-5, 3-1 NJAC) April 6. The Pioneers won the opener, 3-0, but the Ospreys rallied for a 5-4 victory during the day's second game. Junior
Heather Mendez (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) was a combined 5-for-5 with four RBI for William Paterson.
GAME ONE
William Paterson mustered just four hits, but it was enough for a 3-0 victory during the opening contest.
A third-inning leadoff single by sophomore
Raquel Roder (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) and a sacrifice were followed by two walks for the Pioneers, and after a foul-out, junior Mendez drew a bases-loaded free pass, pushing across the game's first run.
Juniors
Lindsey Nadolny (Belford N.J./Middletown North) and
Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) walked to start the bottom of the fifth, and after senior
Lacey Santone's (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) sacrifice advanced the runners, Mendez plated Nadolny with a base hit to center field, making it a 2-0 score. Vitale later crossed the plate after a throwing error by the Ospreys' third baseman for the final run of the game.
Mendez was 1-for-1 with two walks and a pair of RBI to lead the William Paterson offense. Sophomore
Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) improved to 8-4, striking out five Ospreys and allowing six hits in the complete-game victory.
Six different Ospreys accounted for Richard Stockton's six hits. Senior Kaitlyn Corica took the loss (5-6), allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits in 4.1 innings.
GAME TWO
The Pioneers owned a 4-1 advantage, but Richard Stockton fought back with four total runs during its last three at-bats for a 5-4 win.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Mendez delivered a single back up the middle, making it a 1-0 score in the top of the first inning. However, Richard Stockton answered with a run of its own during the bottom of the same frame, using a two-out, RBI-single off the bat of Kelly Dodd to knot the score.
Nadolny trotted home after a Mendez single in the top of the third, and the Pioneers added two more in the fourth inning when Zippler tripled to left field, driving in
Allyson Scerbo (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) and Santone for a 4-1 advantage.
Stockton got two runs back during the bottom of the fourth as sophomore Joey Afflitto doubled in Jessica Goncalves and Laura Dubell, making it a one-run game.
Richard Stockton took its first lead of the day when the Ospreys scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to a two-out double by Vicki DeGaetano, to make it a 5-4 score.
William Paterson threatened during the top of the seventh, using a pair of two-out singles to place runners at the corners, but a final strikeout ended the Pioneers' comeback hopes.
Afflitto was 3-for-3 and contributed a double, two runs scored and two RBI for Stockton. Dubell, Dodd and Danielle Accardi each added a pair of hits. Jamie Gasko picked up the win in relief (2-2), pitching 3.1 scoreless innings.
Mendez was 4-for-4 at the plate for William Paterson, driving in a pair of runs. Vitale was 2-for-4 and tossed the first 3.1 innings inside the circle, allowing three runs on seven hits. Graham suffered the loss (8-5), surrendering four hits and two runs over the final 2.2 innings.
William Paterson will visit Drew Thursday, April 8, at 3:30 p.m.
