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WAYNE, N.J.  – Twice the Montclair State Red Hawks got the tying run to third base in the bottom of the seventh, and twice the William Paterson softball team closed the door on their Route 46 rival as WP took two in a crucial twin bill against MSU, 2-1 and 5-4, April 11.
 
Freshman Sarah Byrnes (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) (12-4) was gritty once again, pitching a combined 10 innings, allowing only two earned runs to pick up two victories, and the Pioneers (17-7, 4-2 NJAC) cooked up some fifth-inning magic by scoring six of their seven runs on the day in the fifth frame in the sweep.
 
Game One: WP 2, Montclair State 1
 
After double play on a popped up bunt brought WP to nobody on and two out in the bottom of the fifth, sophomore right fielder Ryan Tighe (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) reignited the Pioneers in the inning with a ringing double to straight away left. Sophomore pinch hitter Andee Lupica (Maywood, N.J./Immaculate Conception) came up clutch with a pinch hit run-scoring single against Stockton March 31, and clutch again she was, singling up the middle to drive Tighe in from second. Lupica's grounder up the middle caromed off of the knee of MSU (14-8, 2-4 NJAC) junior center fielder Victoria Gehring, allowing Lupica to race to third. Senior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) lifted a fly ball to left that was dropped by sophomore left fielder Blake Saperstein, scoring Lupica and giving WP the 2-0 lead after five.
 
At this point, Byrnes had a no-hitter going, although sophomore second baseman Kaylee Powers drew chalk down the left field for a leadoff double, breaking up the no-no. Byrnes fanned one and got another to line out, although MSU sophomore starting pitcher Valentina Cucci helped her cause with an RBI double to the gap in right center, plating Powers and cutting WP's lead to 2-1.
 
The Red Hawks led off the seventh with another hit, as Gehring singled down the left field line, providing for some tense moments in the rest of the frame after she was bunted up a base by senior catcher Alana Luna. Senior left fielder Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) needed every bit of the 190-feet afforded down the left field line as she reeled in a deep fly ball off the bat of junior designated player Lia Stamile in front of the left field foul pole. Gehring moved up to third, but Byrnes sealed the deal though, getting sophomore pinch hitter Sarah Guy to swing through a 2-2 fastball, giving WP the 2-1 win.
 
Junior third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) was the only player on either side with multiple hits, going 2-for-3. Tighe had WP's lone extra-base hit while scoring a run, and Lupica collected an RBI single and a run.
 
MSU was held to three hits on the day, tying a season low. Gehring singled, was hit by a pitch and stole a base as the lone Red Hawk to reach twice.
 
Byrnes was in a rhythm all game, punching out seven while allowing just six base runners in her eighth complete game of the season.
 
Cucci (3-1) held her own in the circle, allowing only six hits and two runs, one earned, while fanning one as the hard-luck loser.
 
Game Two: WP 5, Montclair State 4
 
The Pioneers worked their second comeback win in four games in contest number two, overcoming a 3-1 deficit with a four-run outburst in the fifth inning before escaping a first-and-third jam in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
 
Montclair State came out swinging, striking twice to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Powers drew a walk, swiped second and scored on an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Elena Radesich. A Cucci single put Radesich in scoring position before Gehring brought her home with a long single to the track in left.
 
WP freshman righty Alexis Davidson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) escaped the jam without further damage before WP cut the deficit by half courtesy of a two-out triple to right center bulleted off the bat of Molnar, scoring Lutas, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the frame.
 
MSU got that run back in the top of the fourth, expanding their lead to 3-1. Gehring drew a leadoff walk, stole second, reached third on a wild pitch and was scored by an RBI single through the right side by junior first baseman Sam DiClementi.
 
Then came WP's fifth-inning that saw nine batters go to the plate and forced two MSU pitching changes. The rally started to brew with freshman catcher Alexis Davis (Delanco, N.J./Riverside)' leadoff single up the middle, followed by a Lutas walk. Tighe attempted to bunt but made contact with the ball in fair territory for the first out. Griffith backed up Tighe with an RBI single back up the box, making it 3-2 MSU. Molnar delivered the big blow, finding the left center gap this time with a two-RBI triple, plating Griffith and Lutas. Lupica, in at designated player for game two, laced the eventual game-winning RBI single to right field, bringing in Molnar.
 
Both teams went down quietly in their respective sixth innings, although Montclair State made it interesting in the seventh. With Stamile at first and two away, Radesich sliced a double down the right field line that Tighe dove for but couldn't reach, scoring Stamile. Cucci grinded out a nine-pitch walk, and junior pinch runner Ali Walek advanced to third on a wild pitch, placing runners on the corners. Gehring ran the count to 3-2 before lifting a medium-deep foul ball to left that Molnar caught just steps before the fence in four territory, securing the 5-4 win.
 
Molnar is now already tied-for-fourth in triples for a single season at WP with seven after a 3-for-3 game two that featured two triples, one run and three RBI. Lutas reached three times and scored twice, giving her 25 runs on the season.
 
Radesich collected the lone extra-base hit for MSU, going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Gehring reached three times and swiped two bases, as did Powers.
 
Davidson received a no-decision for WP, pitching 4.0 frames while allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks. The rookie righty faced one batter in the fifth before Byrnes came out of the bullpen and twirled 3.0 innings of one-run ball allowing two walks and one hit while fanning one.
 
MSU sent three to the rubber, with freshman righty Kayla Volante (0-2) taking the loss in 0.1 inning of work, allowing the go-ahead and winning runs in the fifth. Sophomore righty Nicole Majewski permitted three earned runs on five hits and one walk, fanning one, in 4.0 innings as the starter. Sophomore hurler Courtney Politz finished out the game with 1.2 scoreless frames, punching out one batter.
 
Softball plays its first of two road doubleheaders of the upcoming weekend when it travels to Union, N.J. to take on Kean Saturday, April 14 at 1:00 p.m.
 
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