Video Highlights WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (13-8-1, 4-4 NJAC) dropped a pair of close games to visiting Ramapo (17-7, 6-2 NJAC), 4-3 and 4-2, April 11.
Game OneA two-run home run during the top of the seventh inning lifted the Roadrunners to an opening 4-3 victory.
The Pioneers struck first as sophomore right fielder
Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) started the bottom of the first with a single through the left side, was sacrificed to second by senior center fielder
Kelsey Principe (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) and scored on a base hit up the middle by sophomore shortstop
Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston).
A Mikayla Melendez walk and singles by Grace Brennan and Nicole Hernandez loaded the bases for the Roadrunners with one out in the second inning, and senior center fielder Jaclyn Lima tied the game with a single to right field.
Ramapo seized a 2-1 lead in the third after a fielder's choice and a double to the left-center gap by Melendez.
WP pulled back in front, crossing the plate twice during the bottom half of the third inning thanks to a Principe leadoff walk and Wasilak's line-drive home run that just cleared the top of the fence in left.
The Pioneers had a chance to add to their lead with runners on second and third and no one out in the bottom of the fifth, but couldn't cash in.
Lima opened the top of the seventh inning with a single through the left side, and after two strikeouts, junior catcher Melissa Moreno launched a home run well beyond the 220-foot sign in dead center field for the winning Roadrunner scores.
Wasilak finished 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI. Sophomore pitcher
Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) allowed four runs on 10 hits, striking out five and walking one over 7.0 innings (4-4).
Moreno led Ramapo at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, two RBI and a run scored with the home run. Freshman Katrina Buczkowski tossed the first 4.0 innings and gave up seven hits and three runs while issuing three walks. Classmate Paige Merle secured the win in relief (3-0) with 3.0 hitless innings, two strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Game TwoWP owned an early 2-0 lead but couldn't hold off the Roadrunners late, 4-2.
Sophomore catcher
Kim Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) singled and junior left fielder
Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) walked to start the bottom of the second inning, followed by a one-out RBI-base hit up the middle from sophomore pitcher
Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove).
Nicole Fryer later plated Wimmershoff with a bases-loaded infield single for a 2-0 lead.
Ramapo leveled the score in the fourth. Junior designated player Melanie Walling hit a leadoff double, was sacrificed to third and scored via a Nicole Mahoney groundout. Brennan then followed with a solo homer to left field.
The Roadrunners crossed the plate twice more during the top half of the fifth inning. A Danielle Saporito walk and stolen base and a Melendez base hit put runners on the corners, and Walling drove them both in with a double to left-center field.
The Pioneers' best chance at the tying runs came in the sixth with two on and one out, but a groundout and flyout ended the threat.
Kim Fryer was 2-for-2 and scored a run, and
Nicole Fryer finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Castelli (6-4) surrendered four runs on four hits over 4.1 innings, posting a strikeout and three walks. Senior
Kerrin Dys (North Arlington, N.J./North Arlington) tossed the final 2.2 innings and gave up a hit and a walk.
Walling was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for Ramapo. Freshman Christina Brizek (6-4) pitched the complete game and allowed six hits and two runs with four strikeouts and three walks.
William Paterson will host Kean Sunday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m.
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