KISSIMMEE, Fla.  – The William Paterson softball team (4-4) combined stellar pitching and timely hitting to get off to a strong start at the Sunkissed Games, defeating Washington (Md.), 4-2, and Wheaton (Mass.), 9-1, Mar. 11.
 
Game One: WP 4, Washington (Md.) 2
 
Freshman righty Sarah Byrnes (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) fanned a season-best nine Washington batters across a seven-inning complete game and the Pioneer offense tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth to down the Shorewomen (4-7), 4-2, in WP's opening contest in Florida.
 
Junior third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) provided an early 2-0 lead for WP, clubbing a two-RBI triple to left field, driving in senior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) along with classmate and second baseman, Adelle Hickman (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty).
 
Byrnes set down two Shorewomen in the second, but Washington made things even with two in the top of the third. A single and sacrifice bunt set up senior left fielder Elaina DiPrimio, who laced an RBI single before being brought home by an RBI double from freshman center fielder Crace Moery.
 
Two more Washington batters were punched out in the fourth and fifth respectively before WP took the lead in the bottom half of the fifth. Sophomore right fielder Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) started the frame with an infield single and moved to third after sophomore left fielder Ryan Tighe (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) grounded out to third. Another infield single, this time from Lutas, would bring Archibold across the plate, proving to be the winning tally.
 
Three hits in the Pioneer's sixth added an insurance run. Senior designated player Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) roped a double to left field, junior shortstop Karley Jo Greulich (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) singled, moving Molnar to third, and freshman pinch hitter Caitlyn Massaro (Madison, N.J./Madison) plated Molnar with a base knock to centerfield.
 
Byrnes (2-2) closed the door on the Shorewomen with a one-two-three seventh inning to pick up her second win of the year and third complete game in four starts. The Cherry Hill, N.J., only allowed five hits and one walk while fanning five more batters than her previous season-best mark.
 
Lutas put forth her second multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-2 with a run, RBI, stolen base and a walk. Griffith led with two RBI and Molnar was the other Pioneer with a multi-hit contest, going 2-for-3 with a run.
 
Five Shorewomen batters notched a hit, although Moery was the lone to record an extra-base hit, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
Taking the complete-game loss was senior Taylor Harcum (1-4), allowing four earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out six.
 
Game Two: WP 9, Wheaton (Mass.) 1
 
The Pioneers used eight hits, took advantage of five Wheaton Lyons' (1-3) errors and received seven innings of one-run ball from its two pitchers as they coasted to a 9-1 triumph.
 
WP had three innings with crooked numbers, beginning with two runs in the first. Tighe led off the game reaching on an error by the Lyons' freshman shortstop Allicyn Cole, advanced to second on another error by Cole and eventually crossed home on an RBI groundout from Molnar after being bunted to third by Hickman. Lutas followed close behind, scoring on a Griffith single through the left side.
 
After freshman starter Alexis Davidson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) spun two scoreless frames, Hickman led off the third with a triple and then scored on a wild pitch. Molnar and Griffith drew walks, were bunted to third by freshman shortstop Sydney Pace (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) and then came across home thanks to a two-RBI single to center off the bat of Massaro, giving WP the comfortable 5-0 upperhand.  
 
Lutas walked leading off the top of the fourth, reached second on a passed ball, moved up 60 more feet on a wild pitch and scored with an RBI groundout from Hickman. The Lyons pushed their lone run across in the bottom of the fourth when freshman right fielder Riley Benedetto provided an RBI single, scoring classmate Hannah Arkin who had walked at the top of the inning.
 
Junior designated player Xiomara Taylor (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) worked a walk to start the fifth, took second on a fielding error by Arkin at second base, moved to third on a groundout. Taylor scampered over home on a wild pitch, putting WP ahead 7-1 in the fifth.
 
WP wasn't finished, scoring two more in the seventh. Massaro led off with a walk, freshman pinch runner Alexis Davis (Delanco, N.J./Riverside) stole second and Archibold reached on a fielding error by Wheaton junior pitcher Shelbi Wilson. With runners at the corners, sophomore righty Andee Lupica (Maywood, N.J./Immaculate Conception) singled in Davis from third. Lupica would advance to second and Archibold scored on the play due to a throwing error by Cole at shortstop.
 
One runner reached by error in Lyons' seventh, although WP closed the door to sweep day one in Kissimmee.
 
Seven Pioneers notched hits, with Griffith leading the way with a 2-for-3 day, scoring once, knocking in one while also coaxing a base on balls. Massaro had a game high two RBI.
 
Freshman third baseman Clara DeCarvalho and Benedetto went a combined 4-for-6 in the losing effort.
 
Davidson (2-0) picked up the win, going 5.0 innings, allowing one earned on six hits and two walks. Lupica turned in two scoreless frames to finish the game, surrendering two hits and one walk while recording a punchout.

Wilson (3-3) went the distance for Wheaton, allowing nine runs, four earned, on eight hits and seven walks.
 
Mar. 12 and day two in Kissimmee, Fla. features a contest against Oswego State at 3:45 p.m. and a 6:00 p.m. first pitch with Wooster.
 
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