VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (20-7-1, 5-6-1 NJAC) bested Montclair State (17-13, 3-9 NJAC) 5-1 before a 9-1 six-inning victory on April 16.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Graduate student Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) got the Pioneers started with a solo homerun to left in the bottom of the second.
• Montclair tied it up in the third with a walk, single and fielding error. In the fifth, the Red Hawks had a chance to take the lead, with bases loaded two outs. Pitcher Jaelynn Miller (Oxford, N.J./Warren Hills) closed the inning with a full-count strikeout.
• WP pounded four hits for four runs in the bottom half of the sixth to take a 5-1 lead. Graduate student Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) shot one to left field, tipping over the fence for a homerun. Graduate student Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) walked and advanced to second on a single by graduate student Jasmine Vera (Dumont, N.J./Dumont). McDaniel followed up with a triple to right field to plate Bigos and Vera. McDaniel scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• McDaniel went 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored, a homerun and triple. This was her first homerun and third triple this season.
• Nunziato finished 2-for-3, collecting a RBI, a run scored and her first homerun of the season.
• Freshman Lilah Guthy (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) started for the Pioneers, pitching 4.1 innings while allowing five hits, one run and securing two strikeouts.
• Miller earned the win (7-3), tossing 2.2 innings for three hits and posting two strikeouts.
   

GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers got on the board first, in the second inning, when graduate student Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) reached first on a throwing error by the second baseman. Miller pinch ran for Monahan and scored on three wild pitches for a 1-0 advantage.
• Montclair answered back in the top of the third with a walk, wild pitch and single.
• In the bottom half of the third, Vera walked and advanced to second on a single up the middle by sophomore Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford). Two back-to-back doubles by junior Gianna Mulato (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) and Monahan secured three more runs for a 4-1 lead.
• WP extended the lead with two more runs in the fifth when Monahan shot one over the center field fence for two RBI.
• The Pioneers secured the six-inning victory, with three singles by junior Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton), Nunziato and Bigos. Vera sent a sacrifice fly to center field to score Weinberger, making it 7-1. With bases loaded, two more singles to center field by McDaniel and Bythrow put the Pioneers up eight runs to end the game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Monahan hit 2-for-3 with four RBIs and one run scored. She also collected her second homerun of the season.
• Mulato finished 1-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored, as well as her sixth double this season.
• Bythrow went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Bigos finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Vera recorded her 17th stolen base of the season to move her up seventh on the WP season-high records list for stolen bases.
• Miller (8-3) posted her sixth complete game of the season, pitching six innings while allowing four hits, one run and striking out three.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson plays a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 18 when they host against Manhattanville at 3:00 p.m.

FOLLOW THE PIONEERS:

• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia