WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (2-0) swept a home doubleheader against Hunter (0-2) on March 10, posting 9-1 victories in both games. The Pioneers took game one in five innings and game two in six.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

•  In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Sophomore Aubrey Miller (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester County Institute of Technology) led off with a single to left and later scored when senior Hailey Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) reached on a throwing error and advanced to third (1-0). Junior Molly Cocco (Florham Park, N.J./Hanover Park) added a sacrifice fly to bring home Backo, and freshman Gianna Capone (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) reached on a fielding error that allowed sophomore Kelsey Geurts (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) to score (3-0). Junior Megan Tinger (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) then cleared the bases with a three-run triple to center to give the Pioneers an early 6-0 lead.
• In the bottom of the 3rd, WP added another run to extend the advantage to 7-0. Geurts doubled to center and later scored on an RBI single to right by junior Taylor Palmieri (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills).
• Hunter pushed across a run in the top of the fourth to make it 7–1.
• WP plated two runs in the fourth inning to take a 9–1 lead. Backo doubled to score Tinger and later came home on a double steal with Geurts.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Tinger went 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs, and one run scored.
• Backo finished 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
• Geurts finished 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored.

GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Hunter plated a run in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead.
• WP responded in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 1-1. Senior Brandi Shortway (Midland Park, N.J./Midland Park) was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Capone before scoring on Tinger's groundout.
• In the fourth inning, singles by Backo and Geurts, followed by Palmieri's sacrifice bunt and a walk by Cocco, loaded the bases. Shortway then delivered a bases-clearing triple to center field to push the Pioneers ahead, 4–1.
• A two-run home run by Backo in the bottom of the fifth extended WP's lead to 6–1.
• The Pioneers scored three runs in the sixth to seal an 9–1 run-rule win. Shortway, Capone, and Tinger singled to load the bases, then senior Kylie Anthony (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) and Backo drove in runs, followed by Geurts' sacrifice fly for the final run.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

•  Shortway went 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
• Geurts batted 2-for-3 with one run batted in and one run scored.
• Backo finished 3-for-4 with a homerun, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson travels to Clermont, Fl. for the Spring Games, opening the week up on Sun. March 15 at 10:00 a.m. against McDaniel College and 12:30 p.m. against Augsburg University.

 
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