WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (5-25, 3-13 NJAC) dropped two New Jersey Athletic Conference games to Montclair State (17-19, 3-13 NJAC), falling 4-2 and 8-3 on April 23.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Montclair led 1-0 after the first, scoring on a sacrifice fly.
• Two hits and two errors in the third extended the Red Hawk's lead to four.
• In the fifth, graduate student Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield). Sophomore Lilah Guthy (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) singled through the left side, placing runners on the corner. Senior Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton) singled to center field, plating Bigos and cutting the deficit to three (4-1).
• Senior Gianna Mulato (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) opened the sixth with a single through the right side. With two outs, junior Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford) doubled the left center, scoring Mulato (4-2).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Weinberger and Bythrow went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• Guthy finished 2-for-4.
• Mulato and Bigos crossed the plate for the Pioneers.
• Guthy (2-12) pitched 6.0 innings while allowing seven hits and four runs.

GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Red Hawks scored four runs in the first and one in the second inning.
• Three hits in the fourth extended Montclair's lead to seven (7-0).
• In the fifth, sophomore Hailey Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) tripled down the right field line and scored on a ground out (7-1).
• With two outs in the sixth, Weinberger triple down the right field line and scored on a single to third base by graduate student Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) (7-2).
• A triple and single in the bottom of the sixth gave the Red Hawks an 8-2 advantage.
• In a last chance effort, Backo opened the seventh with a single to left field. A wild pitch advanced Backo to second and two ground outs scored her, cutting the deficit to 8-3.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Monahan and Bigos hit 1-for-3 with an RBI. Gaskill posted an RBI as well.
• Backo went 2-for-3 with a triple and crossing the plate twice. She posted her second triple this season.
• Weinberger secured a triple and one run scored. The triple was the first of her career.
• Mulato (2-10) pitched 1.1 innings, allowing five runs and seven hits.
• Sophomore Kylie Anthony (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) relieved, tossing 4.2 innings with two strikeouts. Anthony allowed three runs and six hits.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson returns to action Thursday, April 25 for a 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. non-conference matchup at FDU-Florham.

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