Box Score
GLASSBORO, N.J. – A single run scored in the bottom of the first inning allowed fifth-seeded The College of New Jersey (26-12) to hand third-seeded William Paterson (27-9) a 1-0 loss in the second round of the double-elimination New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Softball Tournament May 6 at Rowan University.
The Pioneers will face second-seeded Montclair State in an elimination game Saturday, May 7, at 12:00 p.m. MSU knocked top-seeded Rowan out of the tourney with a 6-1 victory to start Friday's action. The winner of the WP vs. MSU contest will advance to Saturday's 2:00 p.m. game, and will face the loser of Saturday's TCNJ vs. Kean game to be played at 10:00 a.m. at the Rowan Softball Complex. The sixth-seeded Cougars eliminated fourth-seeded Ramapo, 6-3, during Friday's second game of the day.
The Lions were able to score the game's only run during their first at-bat. Crystal Lee led off with a single, but she was called out on an attempted steal of second base as senior catcher
Nicole Jimmerson (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) gunned out her ninth base stealer of the season. That ended up being an important play for the Pioneers, as Ashley Sogluizzo immediately followed with a double that would have plated Lee. A 4-3 groundout was very close to being an inning-ending double play thanks to the quick throw to third, but Sogluizzo was called safe. Liz Huttner took advantage, stepping to the plate and hitting a RBI-double to left-center field.
The Pioneers left eight runners on base, including ones in scoring position during the first, second, fourth and sixth innings. WP had its best chances late in the contest. Senior first baseman
Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearley) led off the fourth with a stand-up double and was lifted for pinch runner
Lauren Bogart (West Milford, N.J./West Milford). A
Heather Mendez (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) flyout allowed Bogart to tag and advance to third, followed by a strikeout for the second out of the inning. Junior outfielder
Raquel Roder (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch, but pinch hitter
Jessica Warner's (Runnemede, N.J./Triton) fly ball to center field ended the threat.
A one-out Mendez single, a foul-out on a bunt attempt and a Roder single and advance on the throw gave WP runners on second and third with two out in the sixth, but pinch hitter
Alexa Veniero (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) struck out to end the inning.
Roder was 2-for-2 to lead William Paterson offensively. Junior
Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) allowed eight hits and the one run in 6.0 innings, striking out one (13-5).
Sogluizzo and Huttner both went 2-for-3 for TCNJ. Lauren Fitzsimmons improved to 10-3, scattering six hits, walking two batters and striking out five.
