KISSIMMEE, Fla.  – This year's spring break trip to the Sunkissed Games ended with the William Paterson softball team (11-5) earning its sixth and seventh consecutive triumphs after picking up wins against Salve Regina, 8-3, and Skidmore, 4-3, Mar. 17.
 
Game One: WP 8, Salve Regina 3
 
The Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 advantage and never relinquished the lead, tacking on four big runs in the second and two more in the fourth as the freshman duo of Sarah Byrnes (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) and Alexis Davidson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) combined to allow just two earned runs across seven innings in the circle as WP ousted Salve Regina, 8-3.
 
Junior third baseman Elizabeth Lombardo gave the Seahawks (1-8) the 1-0 lead in the top of the first with an RBI groundout to score junior left fielder Lindsey Florent.
 
Senior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) helped to promptly erase the deficit, tripling to center before scoring a batter later when Salve Regina's first baseman muffed a throw from third on sophomore Ryan Tighe (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills)'s grounder, scoring Lutas. Tighe advanced all the way to third no the misplay, setting up junior third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) for a sacrifice fly.
 
Byrnes navigated around back-to-back Salve Regina singles in the top of the second before WP chiseled out a 6-1 lead with four in the bottom of the frame.
 
Freshman designated player Caitlyn Massaro (Madison, N.J./Madison) continued her hitting ways by leading off with a single up the middle. Sophomore pinch runner Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) stole second, reached third on a fly out off the bat of sophomore first baseman Susan Mather (North Andover, Mass./North Andover), and scored on a Molnar bunt single. Byrnes walked and a fielding error by the Seahawks second baseman on a Lutas batted ball brought Molnar home. Griffith recorded a bases loaded RBI-infield single and freshman shortstop Sydney Pace (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to score Lutas.
 
Salve Regina chipped away, scoring on an RBI double in the third and an RBI triple by Laurent in the fourth, although Massaro roped a clutch two-out two-RBI single up the middle to score Pace and Tighe in the bottom of the fourth, keeping a comeback at bay by establishing the 8-3 lead.
 
Davidson toed the rubber in the top of the fifth for Byrnes and only allowed an infield single while striking out one in a 3.0 inning save, her first of the season. Byrnes (6-3) won her fourth game in five starts, striking out four in 4.0 innings in the circle.
 
Starting and taking the loss for Salve Regina was freshman Julia Coute (0-4), allowing eight runs, three earned, on seven hits and four walks in 3.2 innings. Freshman reliever Andi Nelson worked 2.1 scoreless innings.
 
Lutas finished with two triples and two runs, while Massaro added a game-high two RBI as part of a 2-for-4 day, raising her team-best batting average to .434 (10-for-23). Tighe also walked twice, scored twice and added an RBI.
 
Florent and junior catcher Holly Kathios both had multi-hit games for Salve Regina.
 
Game Two: WP 4, Skidmore 3
 
Up 4-0 in the top of the fifth, Skidmore (4-6) scored three times in the bottom half of the inning but Byrnes struck out Skidmore's freshman third baseman Adrianna Garcia with two on and two out in the bottom of the seventh to earn the save and give WP the 4-3 victory.
 
Already riding a six-game winning streak, WP carried its momentum into the start of the game with two runs in the top of the first. Lutas singled, Tighe put down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in a muffed throw, advancing Lutas to third. A wild pitch plated Lutas and a Griffith RBI single scored Tighe.
 
WP added one more with a Griffith solo blast in the top of the third, making it 3-0 Pioneers on the third baseman's second home run of the season.
 
William Paterson played small ball to push across the eventual game winning run in the top of the fifth. With one out, Tighe and Griffith were both hit by pitches before Pace bunted both up one base. Senior second baseman Adelle Hickman (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) laced a single to bring Tighe across home, making it 4-0.
 
Skidmore's three-run fifth began with a double from sophomore catcher Maddie Nelson and a base on balls drawn by sophomore right fielder Heather Mak. Senior first baseman Lizette Roman-Johnston drove in Nelson with a single to left, but Molnar pegged down Mek who was in transit to third base for a crucial first out. Junior Karly Fishkin belted an RBI double and advanced to third on the throw before WP brought in Byrnes for sophomore starter Andee Lupica (Maywood, N.J./Immaculate Conception). Senior left fielder Jill Strileckis cut Skidmore's deficit to 4-3 with a sacrifice fly, but Garcia grounded out to quell the threat.
 
Byrnes permitted two singles and a hit by pitch but the Thoroughbreds were kept at bay the rest of the way.
 
Lutas catalyzed the Pioneer offense with a 2-for-4 outing, scoring once and stealing two bases. Griffith also swiped two bags in addition to a 2-for-3 day that included two RBI. Tighe crossed home twice, giving her four runs between WP's two wins on the day.
 
Nelson was the lone Skidmore player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2 with a walk, double and a run. Freshman shortstop Hannah Paolluci doubled and was hit by a pitch.
 
Lupica (2-2) was credited with the win, spinning 4.1 innings of three-run ball, allowing five hits and three walks while punching out one. Byrnes' 2.2 scoreless frames earned the rookie her first save.
 
Sophomore hurler Emily Popp (0-3) went the distance in the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits while fanning six.
 
Softball will play its home opener when it hosts St. Joseph's - Long Island for a doubleheader Friday, Mar. 23, at 3:00 p.m.
 
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