JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Junior left fielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) hit a grand slam to highlight William Paterson's (18-9-1, 7-5 NJAC) 12-1, 9-1 softball sweep at New Jersey City (2-22, 0-12 NJAC) April 14.
 
Game One
The Pioneers rolled to a 12-1, five-inning victory in the opener.
 
WP put five runs on the scoreboard during the top of the second inning. Freshman second baseman Kaitlyn Poretti (Florence, N.J./Florence Memorial) led off with a single, and a fielder's choice and error during senior designated player Keanna Ross' (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook Senior) at-bat left runners on second and third. Freshman third baseman Sam Rothenberger (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) hit a one-out triple to right center to score the two runners, and sophomore right fielder Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) scored Rothenberger with a two-out double. Senior center fielder Kelsey Principe (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) singled in Nicole Fryer and sophomore shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) doubled in Principe for a 5-0 edge.
 
The Pioneers added four more runs in the fourth. Sophomore right fielder Salina Pellios (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) knocked a base hit to left-center field and Principe followed with a double to center. Wasilak walked and a two-bagger by senior catcher Lachelle Rouse (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook Senior) plated a pair of scores. Freshman second baseman Carly Satter (Branchville, N.J./High Point Regional) reached on an error that plated Wasilak, and a later squeeze bunt by sophomore left fielder Zigmary Colon (Paterson, N.J./Passaic County Tech) made it a 9-0 game.
 
Pellios led off the top of the fifth with her first career home run, followed by a Wasilak one-out single up the middle and a Rouse double to right center. A wild pitch allowed Wasilak to scamper home, and Ross' two-out base hit to right center gave William Paterson a 12-0 advantage.
 
Two singles and a groundout allowed the Gothic Knights to cross the plate once during the bottom half of the same frame.
 
Wasilak was 3-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored, and Rouse finished 2-for-4 while posting a pair of doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Pellios, Nicole Fryer and Principe each added a pair of hits.
 
Sophomore Meghin Stanton (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington Regional) improved to 2-0, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
 
Three different players accounted for the three NJCU hits. Sophomore Brittany Paulikas (2-11) gave up 15 hits and 12 runs (nine earned) with one strikeout and two walks.
 
Game Two
Wimmershoff drove in five runs as WP finished the day with a 9-1, six-inning win.
 
Rouse singled up the middle to open the top of the second inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore catcher Kim Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) reached first thanks to an error, and after a groundout, Poretti hit an RBI-single for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Pioneers added five more runs in the fourth. Kim Fryer got aboard on an error, senior designated player Kristen Gardner (Audubon, N.J./Methacton) sent a base hit to center field and Poretti singled through the left side to load the bases. Sophomore pitcher Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) drove in Kim Fryer with a base hit to right, and Wimmershoff then drilled a grand slam to left.
 
A leadoff homer by senior Ashley Latushko made it a 6-1 score during the bottom half of the fourth inning.
 
A Castelli triple, Wimmershoff squeeze bunt, error and Wasilak RBI-single to left added two more WP runs in the fifth, and base hits by Kim Fryer and Castelli pushed the advantage to 9-1 during the top of the sixth.
 
Wimmershoff was 2-for-2 with the grand slam and five RBI, and Castelli helped her own cause with a 3-for-4 effort, adding a triple, two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Wasilak and Poretti each posted two hits.
 
Castelli (8-4) surrendered one run and three hits, striking out seven.
 
Latushko (0-11) allowed 13 hits and nine runs (seven earned) with four walks.
 
William Paterson will play at St. Joseph's-Long Island Thursday, April 16, at 5:00 p.m.
 
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