EWING, N.J.  – The No. 25 William Paterson softball team suffered its first sweep of the 2018 campaign, faltering 5-1 and 9-3 to The College of New Jersey (23-5, 11-1 NJAC) April 18. The Lions, who were receiving votes in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division III national poll, handed William Paterson (19-9, 6-4 NJAC) its first game with less than two runs scored since 2017, and its only road losses of the season up to this point.
 
Game One | TCNJ 5, WP 1
 
WP pushed a run across home in the top of the fifth, but the Pioneers ran into another strong start by TCNJ rookie Alanna Namit (11-0) as she held the Orange and Black to their lowest run total of the season in a 5-1 game one loss. The Pioneers left nine runners on base in the loss.
 
The Lions got on the scoreboard with two runs, both of which were unearned, in the bottom of the first frame. After a one-out single and double, a two-out fielding error by senior second baseman Adelle Hickman (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) allowed TCNJ to jump ahead, 2-0.
 
TCNJ pushed their lead out of grand slam distance after putting up three runs in the bottom of the third. With runners at second and third, freshman third baseman Lauren Conroy made it 3-0 on an RBI groundout. Junior center fielder Gaby Bennett scored senior first baseman Madison Levine with a double down the left field line before Bennett came around to score on junior catcher Jess McGuire's RBI single to right field, making things 5-0 Lions after three.
 
WP threatened a half inning later, moving runners to second and third with two outs before going down scoreless in the fourth. Freshman shortstop Sydney Pace (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) got back on track with a one-out single up the middle in the fifth, advanced to second on a walk by sophomore pinch hitter Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) and scored on an RBI single tucked inside the right field line off the bat of senior center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock). Lutas stole her 10th base of the year, putting runners at second and third once again. After a Lupica walk, junior third baseman Christine Griffith (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional) grounded to second base, reaching on a fielder's choice, but Archibold was forced out at home. Hickman grounded out to end the frame as TCNJ escaped the inning and continued on to the 5-1 victory.
 
Pace reached all three times, singling, drawing two walks and scoring. Lutas swiped a bag and singled in a run.
 
Things came in twos for Levine as she doubled twice, stole two bags and scored a pair of runs. Junior second baseman Annalise Suitovsky also gathered two hits for the Lions.
 
Freshman righty Sarah Byrnes (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) took her first loss in five appearances, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits in 4.0 frames, fanning one. Sophomore Andee Lupica (Maywood, N.J./Immaculate Conception) spun two innings of nearly spotless ball, allowing just one hit while punching out two.
 
Namit allowed just one run in the complete game victory despite allowing seven walks. The rookie struck out seven and permitted three hits in the one-run effort.
 
Game Two | TCNJ 9, WP 3
 
The Pioneers quickly rebounded to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but 10 stranded runners combined with a resilient Lions attack was costly in the 9-3 loss.
 
Lutas reached on an infield single to start the game, stole her 11th bag of the season and moved up to third base on a Griffith double that landed along the left field line. Hickman did her job at cleanup, driving in Lutas and Griffith with a two-RBI single back up the box.
 
TCNJ erased the deficit for good in the bottom of the opening frame though. Suitovsky opened with a double to center and later scored on a passed ball. A walk, single and run-scoring base knock to right center off the bat of McGuire scored Conroy, making it 2-2.
 
The tides turned for good in the bottom of the third with a three-run output by the Lions. Conroy was in the mix again, driving in one with a single. After Bennett got aboard with a fielding error committed by rookie righty Alexis Davidson (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham), McGuire clubbed both base runners home with a double to left center, bringing WP to call on Lupica in relief.
 
Griffith used the right field line this time for a two-out RBI triple, scoring sophomore right fielder Ryan Tighe (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) to cut the deficit to 5-3 in the middle of the fourth.
 
RBI singles in the fourth and fifth, followed by yet another two-RBI double from McGuire in the bottom of the sixth completed TCNJ's scoring as the Lions clamped down on the 9-3 win.
 
Griffith scored once, drove in a run, doubled, tripled and walked to raise her on-base percentage above .400 for the year (.406). Hickman drove in two, bringing her season RBI total to 18. Lutas continued to get on with ease, reaching with a free pass and a single.
 
It was McGuire's day offensively as she went 4-for-4 with five RBI and three doubles. Sophomore shortstop Megan Mayernik was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs.
 
Davidson (4-2) started and took the loss, surrendering five runs, four earned, on six hits and one walk. Lupica saw her second appearance on the day, permitting a pair of runs in 2.0 frames. Byrnes made her seventh appearance in relief, fanning one in 1.2 innings while allowing two runs on a pair of hits.
 
Senior hurler Sam Platt (7-3) was strong, navigating nine hits and three walks to allow only three earned. She struck out three in the win.
 
WP's busy week continues when it hosts No. 21 Rowan for a twin bill Saturday, April 21 at 1:00 p.m.
 
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