By Eddie Young
Sports Editor
The College’s softball team won four conference games last week, sweeping both Rutgers-Camden and Montclair State in doubleheaders. These wins put them second in the New Jersey Athletic Conference with an 8-2 conference record and 16-12 overall.
The Lions started off their week traveling to Camden to take on the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9, after their two games from the day prior got rained out.
The College got out to a quick two-run lead in the first inning of the first game with fifth-year outfielder Kaci Nevelling and junior outfielder Olivia Santos hitting a double and a triple to start the game.
The early lead allowed sophomore pitcher Maya Knasiak to settle her and work to the scoreboard. She gave up one run in the second, but that would be the last run she gave up on the day, as she went the distance and struck out six batters, pushing her over 200 in her career, while only walking two.
The Lions started to string together hits in the third inning, and they scored three runs in both that inning and in the fourth. An RBI groundout in the fifth from senior first baseman Rachel Alecci put the team up 9-1, giving them an eight-run lead. Knasiak did not give up a run in the bottom half of the inning, so the College earned its first win by way of the mercy rule.
The second game of the doubleheader did not come as easily as the first for the Lions. It was a lower-scoring pitchers' duel, with both pitchers throwing gems to keep their teams in the game. The Lions struck first in the top half of the fourth as a double from junior outfielder Morgan Estelow was followed by two walks and an RBI fielder's choice from senior third baseman Mckayla Yard, who scored the first run of the game.
The Scarlet Raptors would respond in the bottom of the fifth, though, as an error from Yard would bring in their first run of the game, tying everything at one. She would quickly make up for her error, though, as she hit an RBI single to regain the lead in the top of the sixth. This would help to energize a three-run inning for the Lions, which led them to a 4-1 victory.
While both pitchers threw complete games in this one, their pitching styles could not have been more unalike. Sammie Friel of Rutgers-Camden overpowered the Lions for a majority of the game, striking out 11 batters while also walking five. However, it was junior pitcher Elizabeth Goose who ended up taking the win. She pitched to contact the whole game, striking out only one batter but getting 16 groundouts and not allowing an earned run or walking a single batter.
The Lions then traveled back home to take on Montclair State in another doubleheader, with this one being on Sunday, April 13, as they were once again rained out the day prior.
Knasiak came out ready to perform in the opening half of the doubleheader, as she was able to shut down the Red Hawks. She pitched the whole game, only giving up one run, while striking out six and walking just three hitters. Her performances on the mound across her two starts led to her being named the NJAC Pitcher of the Week.
She got the offense going for the Lions, as she hit her first home run of the season in the bottom of the second to give herself a 1-0 lead to work with on the mound. A few more runs later in the game got the job done for the Lions, as they took this victory 5-1.
The second win came a bit easier for the College, as they were able to put together some offense much earlier in the game. A three-run home run in the first inning from Yard helped to cap off a four-run inning for the Lions. They followed that up by scoring four in the bottom of the second, including a two-run home run from fifth-year shortstop Julia Kinnally.
The Lions would eventually go on to win 10-2 after getting a mercy rule enacted in the fifth inning. Kinnally and sophomore catcher Sara Vincent led the offense this game, with both going 3-3 from the three and four spots in the lineup, respectively.
Goose threw another gem on the mound, giving up two earned runs and striking out nine while once again not allowing a walk. She ran into a bit of trouble in the second inning, but outside of that inning, she only allowed one baserunner.
