NAPLES, FLA. – The William Paterson softball team (5-1) continues to sweep teams at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Pioneers posted a 10-2 five-inning victory against SUNY Brockport (2-6) and closed out the day with an 8-3 win over Emerson (1-1) on March 13.


GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Graduate student Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) singled one up the middle to get the Pioneers started. She stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Graduate student Jasmine Vera (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) walked and stole second to send McDaniel home on another throwing error. Graduate student Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) singled up the middle to push Vera across home plate, securing a 2-0 lead.
•  Sophomore Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford) extended WP's lead to four, with a single up the middle, scoring Bigos and graduate student Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler). A throwing error by Brockport would place Bythrow and sophomore Jaelynn Miller (Oxford, N.J./Warren Hills) into scoring position. Junior Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton) drove a hit to center, securing 2 RBI and extending the score to 6-0.
• Graduate student Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) started the second with a walk and placed herself into scoring position with a stolen base and a passed ball. McDaniel grounded out to second but drove Nunziato home. Vera ripped one to left field for a triple and Monahan sent Vera home on the next hit, ending the second with a score of 8-0.
• In the top of the third, Brockport got on the scoreboard with one run on a fielding error. The Pioneers would answer back in the bottom half with two runs when junior Grace Gaskill (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) walked, advanced two bases on passed balls and scored on a wild pitch. Freshman Hailey Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) followed Gaskill and scored on a sacrifice fly by Weinberger, to secure a 10-1 lead.
• The Golden Eagles posted one more run in the top of the fifth to make it 10-2, but it was not enough as the umpire declared the run-ahead rule.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Freshman Lilah Guthy (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) (2-0) earned the win, pitching three innings with two hits and four strikeouts.
• Sophomore Lindsey Acker (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) relieved the last two innings, recording two strikeouts and allowing three hits.
• Weinberger posted three RBI against SUNY Brockport.
• Bythrow recorded two RBI and a run scored.
• Vera went 2-2 with two runs scored and collected her 100th career hit.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Vera started the scoring for the Pioneers in the first inning after reaching first on a fielder's choice, stealing second, advancing to third on a fielder's choice and scoring on the throw. Bigos would draw the second run of the inning with a triple to left to score Bythrow.
• Emerson took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the first and held the lead until the third inning. Vera singled out to right center and Bythrow followed with a single through the left side. A wild pitch advanced Vera two bases to score and Bythrow sat at second. Bigos pushed Bythrow to third with a grounder to shortstop. Junior Gianna Mulato (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) collected a RBI, scoring Bythrow with a single through the left side, taking the lead 4-3.
• WP held the lead the rest of the way. McDaniel singled to left center in the fourth to extend the lead two runs.
• In the fifth, three consecutive singles to right center by Mulato, Monahan and Weinberger added another run to make the score 6-3. Sophomore Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) added a single to center field to send Weinberger home and edge Emerson 7-3.
• The Pioneers finished scoring in the sixth, with a RBI from Bythrow to score Vera. WP held the Lions from scoring and secured their fourth consecutive win.

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INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Senior Gabriella Brancaccio (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) (1-1) earned the win, pitching four innings, allowing five hits and securing two strikeouts.
• Miller relieved, pitching three innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts.
• Weinberger led the Pioneers offensively going 2-2 with a RBI, two runs scored and a double. Bythrow followed up, hitting 2-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.
• Mulato hit 3-4, collecting one RBI and one run scored. Vera went 2-4, posting three runs scored.
• Hutchison, McDaniel and Bigos each collected a RBI.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson continue play at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic Wednesday, March 15, against Wisconsin-Superior at 9:00 a.m. and Alfred State at 11:00 a.m. in Naples, Fla.

 
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