TUCSON, Ariz.  – William Paterson softball (1-3) exploded to overcome a 4-1 deficit en route to a 12-5 victory against No.13 East Texas Baptist University (6-2) in game two on day two at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic Mar. 3, rebounding after coming up just short in a, 6-3, extra inning loss to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (3-0) in game one.
 
Game One: MIT 6, WP 3 (8 innings, international tiebreaker)
 
Senior first baseman Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) belted a two-run home run, freshman righty Sarah Byrnes (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) only allowed two earned across 8.0 innings and 136 pitches in the circle, but the MIT Engineers (3-0) were able to outlast a Pioneer comeback with three runs in the top of the eighth as WP fell 6-3 by way of its second international tiebreaker in as many contests.
 
Trailing 3-2 with one out in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore left fielder Ryan Tighe (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) helped push the game to extra by stroking a game-tying RBI single to center field. Scoring on the play was junior Xiomara Taylor (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen), running for freshman shortstop Sydney Pace (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) after she ignited the rally with a leadoff single.
 
MIT was the benefactor of two Pioneer errors in the top of the eighth though, generating three runs to go ahead, 6-3. Placed on second to begin the inning, sophomore first baseman Von Ahn was bunted to third base by sophomore catcher Michelle Wist before crossing home on a sac bunt off the bat of senior designated player Zoe Hinton. Molnar was charged with an error on the play. Hinton reached second on a repeat of the same play, after sophomore shortstop Madi Pickett put down a sac bunt. Left fielder Erika Anderson single through the right side, loading the bases for senior outfielder Katherine Shade who found space down the left field line for a two-RBI single, scoring Pickett and Hinton.
 
WP came up short in its half of the eighth, being retired in order.
 
The game's scoring began after the Engineers scratched out a run in the top of the first inning when Von Ahn poked an RBI single through the right side, driving in senior center fielder Jasmin Joseph who led off the frame with a walk.
 
Molnar went yard to left center in the bottom of the first, erasing the deficit and driving in Tighe who also led off the first with a single down the left field line. Junior third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) continued the Pioneer threat in the first, reaching on a hit by pitch before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, although freshman shortstop Sydney Pace (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) struck out swinging to close the inning.
 
The see-saw affair continued when the Engineers pushed two two-out runs across the plate in the top of the third. Pickett knocked a single to center field, scoring Wist and Von Ahn to give MIT the 3-2 upperhand that would stand until the seventh.

Tighe went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, giving the sophomore a three-game winning streak to begin the 2018 campaign. Molnar picked up her second and third RBI of the early season, Pace and senior center fielder recorded one single apiece and Taylor scored her second run of the year in the role as pinch runner.
 
Von Ahn went a game-best 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI for the Engineers. Anderson and Shade also posted two hits respectively.
 
Byrnes (0-2) was the hard-luck loser, suffering from four unearned runs in the loss. The righty set down four batters by strikeout and scattered 10 hits and two walks across 8.0 frames.
 
Picking up the win for MIT was rookie righty Colleen Campbell (1-0), pitching 8.0 innings while striking out 11 and allowing three earned on four hits and one free pass.
 
Game Two: WP 12, No. 13 East Texas Baptist 5
 
The Pioneers trailed a tough East Texas Baptist squad 4-1 entering into the top of the fourth inning, but four runs in the fourth, three in the sixth and four more in the seventh helped WP eradicate the deficit en route to a resounding 12-5 victory against the nationally-ranked Tigers.
 
Junior left fielder Mackenzie Anderson and sophomore right fielder Morgan Arst led off the bottom of the first with consecutive free passes, setting up senior second baseman Linzie Lewis for an RBI single and a 1-0 lead. A passed ball later brought around Arst for the 2-0 upperhand.
 
The 2018 NFCA Division III National Player of the Year Watch List honoree, Griffith, belted a solo home run in the top of the second to split the lead in half, although ETBU countered with two more in their half of the third. Sophomore shortstop Madison Prince helped with the replay by providing a home run of her own, driving in freshman designated player Daniella Solis, who reached with a single a batter earlier.
 
The tide-turning fourth inning featured three singles and two walks, beginning with a leadoff base knock off the bat of senior second baseman Adelle Hickman (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty). Sophomore right fielder Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) coaxed a one-out walk, and then Tighe continued her strong day with an RBI single, loading the bags. Senior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) worked a base on balls, pushing Hickman over home plate, Archibold scored on a passed ball and Molnar drove in Tighe with an RBI groundout to second base. Byrnes entered as pinch hitter and gave WP the lead for good with a timely RBI single through the right side, bringing in Lutas.
 
Freshman righty Alexis Davidson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) came into the game in the bottom of the fourth and only allowed one run the rest of the way as WP kept the foot on the gas pedal to tame the Tigers. A trio of RBI walks coming from Griffith, Hickman and junior pinch hitter Jillian Bainbridge (Princeton, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central) provided an 8-4 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Prince singled and came around to score ETBU's only other run, coming in the bottom of the sixth inning on freshman pinch hitter Chelsea Ham's RBI single.
 
The game was blown open in the top of the seventh thanks to a solo home run from Tighe, an RBI single from Pace and an RBI single from Hickman. Doing it with her bat earlier in the game, Griffith used her speed to steal home and give WP a 12-5 lead.
 
The Pioneer offense filled the box score with 11 hits, four of which came from Tighe who is hitting .529 through four games. Hickman went 3-for-4, driving in two, Griffith added two RBI and two runs, and Lutas improved her on-base percentage to .583 by going 1-for-1 with three walks, two runs and an RBI.
 
Prince headlined the Tigers' attack, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple, two RBI and two runs.
 
Davidson (1-0) only allowed one earned on two walks and five hits across 4.0 innings of relief on the way to her first collegiate victory. Sophomore righty Andee Lupica (Maywood, N.J./Immaculate Conception) started in the circle, allowing three earned in 3.0, generating two punch outs.
 
Suffering her first loss of the season was senior Jordan Anderson (3-1), who struck out 11 but allowed eight runs, five earned, on five walks and eight hits in 4.2 frames of work.
 
Two top-25 opponents are on the slate for the Pioneers in the third and final day at the NFCA Leadoff Classic March 4 as WP takes on No. 18 Messiah at 9:00 a.m. (MST) and No. 24 Babson at 11:30 a.m.
 
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