WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (12-13, 2-6 NJAC) defeated Mount Saint Mary College (MSMC) (6-10, 3-1 SKYLINE) in a non-conference home doubleheader, posting an 8-1 win in game one and a 3-0 victory in game two.
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers opened the scoring in the second as senior Lilah Guthy (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) reached on a throwing error, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Aubrey Miller (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester County Institute of Technology), and scored on a single by sophomore Kelsey Geurts (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) to make it 1–0.
• Mount Saint Mary plated one run in the third inning to tie the game at 1-1.
• WP answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally to regain the lead. Junior Megan Tinger (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a passed ball and a single by Guthy before Miller delivered an RBI single up the middle to make it 2–1.
• In the fifth, senior Hailey Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Tinger's RBI single to make it 3–1. Later, Guthy drove in two with a single to right center, extending the lead to 5–1.
• The Pioneers added three runs in the sixth. Shortway singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Gianna Capone (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East), and stole third before scoring on Backo's single. With two outs and the bases loaded, sophomore Samantha Campos (River Edge, N.J./River Dell) doubled to left center to drive in two more and make it 8–1.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Backo went 2-for-3 with one RBI, one stolen base, and two runs scored.
• Miller batted 2-for-2 with one RBI and a walk.
• Geurts finished 2-for-4 and drove in three runs.
• Campos went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs, a double, and one run scored.
• At the plate, Guthy finished 1-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored, and in the circle, she worked 7.0 innings, giving up seven hits and one earned run while striking out a season-high nine.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• WP opened the scoring in the first as Shortway singled, stole second, and moved to third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 1–0.
• The Pioneers added two runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 3–0. Sophomore Courtney DiPrenda (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) singled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground out before scoring on an error. Tinger then followed with an RBI double to right to bring home another run.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Tinger finished 1-for-3 with a double and one run batted in.
• Backo had an RBI, stolen base, and crossed the plate once.
• Shortway went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and one run scored.
• DiPrenda posted a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with one run scored.
• Miller tossed 7.0 innings in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out six.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson hosts Kean University for a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 11 at 1:00 p.m.

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