KISSIMMEE, FLA. – The William Paterson softball team (1-1) split a pair of games decided during the final at-bats during its season-opening contests March 11 at the Rebel Spring Games, falling 4-3 to Rhodes (15-10) and winning 3-2 against Muskingum (2-10).
Game One
A walkoff two-run single lifted the Lynx to a 4-3 victory.
The Pioneers struck first with a single run during their first at-bat. Freshman designated player
Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) led off the game with a double and advanced to third on an
Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) lineout. Senior shortstop
Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) then doubled to left to hand WP a 1-0 edge.
A Caroline Sutton single, Jill Healy double, Kayla Rose run-scoring base hit and Christine Hume sacrifice fly pushed Rhodes ahead by a 2-1 count during the bottom of the second.
Junior left fielder
Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) reached base on a fourth-inning fielder's choice and stole second before a walk issued to senior catcher
Kim Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South). An RBI-single by junior second baseman
Kaitlyn Poretti (Florence, N.J./Florence Memorial) forged a 2-2 deadlock in the fourth.
Sophomore third baseman
Karley Jo Greulich (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) opened the top of the seventh with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner
Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional). She was moved to second base by a groundout and crossed the plate after a pinch-hit double by freshman
Susan Mather (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) for a 3-2 advantage.
A hit by pitch, single and groundout left the Lynx with runners on second and third with one out in the home half of the seventh. Hume singled up the middle to push across both runners for the 4-3 win.
Archibold went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored, while Poretti finished 2-for-3 with a triple and RBI.
Senior
Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) allowed four runs on seven hits, striking out three in 6.1 innings (0-1).
Rose was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Hume drove in three runs. Sophomore Bri Maniscalco (7-5) gave up eight hits and three runs on four walks and three strikeouts during 7.0 innings inside the circle.
Game Two
Greulich's seventh-inning base hit gave the Pioneers a 3-2 comeback victory against Muskingum.
The Muskies plated two runs during the top of the second inning. Senior center fielder Dakota DeAmicis led off with an infield single, and an error after a bunt left runners on the corners. A fielder's choice resulted in an out at the plate, and a groundout gave Muskingum runners on second and third with two outs. Sophomore third baseman Cassie Thomas drove in two runs with her base hit to right field.
WP tied things up in the bottom of the fifth. Senior right fielder
Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) opened the frame with a double to left field, and pinch hitter Mather was issued a walk and was replaced at first by
Kim Fryer. Greulich sacrificed the runners up a base, and after a strikeout, freshman pinch hitter
Amanda Clark (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) drove in two runs with a base hit to second base.
Nicole Fryer started the home half of the seventh with a single up the middle and was sacrificed to second by
Kim Fryer. Greulich followed with a base hit to left field to plate the deciding run.
Nicole Fryer was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and Clark had a pair of RBI.
Senior
Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) gave up two unearned runs on eight hits while striking out one (1-0).
Thomas finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Senior Haley Dotson (2-4) allowed six hits, three runs and two walks while striking out three.
William Paterson will face Plattsburgh State at 3:45 p.m. and Wheaton at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, at the Rebel Spring Games.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit
http://www.wpupioneers.com and
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