Box Score (Game 1)
Bos Score (Game 2)
Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey softball team saw its modest winning streak come to a halt, while visiting Montclair State University continued to add to its growing streak on Saturday as the Red Hawks took a pair of one-run games from the Lions.
Montclair won the opener by the score of 4-3 with that game going eight innings and then won the second game by an identical 4-3 score. TCNJ saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end as the Lions are now 18-12 on the year and 6-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Red Hawks ran their winning streak to 19 games and remained unbeaten in conference play at 10-0 and are 26-2 overall.
Game 1: Montclair State 4, TCNJ 3 (8 innings)
Montclair's Jennifer Jimenez (Linden, NJ/Linden) raced home on a passed ball for the winning run in the top of the eighth inning to lift the Red Hawks to a victory in the opening game.
The Red Hawks got the early lead scoring in their opening at bat as Maureen Shockley (Magnolia, NJ/Triton) tripled in a run and then scored on a fielder's choice by Megan Durkin (West Orange, NJ/West Orange).
The Lions trimmed that lead in half in the bottom of the fourth as senior Christina Lizzi (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) hit a double and sophomore Danielle Hagel (Egg Harbor, NJ/Oakcrest) followed with another making it a 2-1 game.
Montclair got that run right back as Kacie Neurouter (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Again, TCNJ fought back and made it 3-2 in the latter half of the inning as freshman Steph Cintron (Northvale, NJ/Old Tappan) scored on a ground out by sophomore Rachel Greeby (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury).
In the bottom of the seventh, the Lions forced extra innings as junior Kelly Armstrong (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) singled in the tying run.
Picking up the win for MSU was senior Carolyn McCrea (Wharton, NJ/Jefferson Township).
Taking the loss for the Lions was sophomore Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park).
Game 2: Montclair State 4, TCNJ 3
The Red Hawks overcame a home run by TCNJ's Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) in the top of the seventh inning that tied the score at three, to plate the winning run in the bottom half of the innings. That winning run came when Leslie Gonzalez (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) singled home Kelly Karp (Edison, NJ/Edison) making the final 4-3.
TCNJ opened the scoring in the top of the first as Armstrong singled in a run, but Montclair countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second as Karp drove in two runs with a triple.
The first of MSU's run brought an end to TCNJ pitcher Alex Sietsma (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) scoreless inning streak at 32.2 innings without allowing a run.
The Lions tied the game in the third with a run as Lizzi brought home Colleen Cawley (Riverton, NJ/Holy Cross) with a single.
MSU got the run right back in the bottom of the inning as Jackie Ferranti (Bergenfield, NJ/Bergenfield) scored on a ground out by Jimenez setting the stage for the exciting final inning.
Sietsma suffered the loss for the Lions, while McCrea pitched one inning of relief to collect her second win of the day.
TCNJ will face another ranked opponent in its next outing as the Lions head to 22nd-ranked Rowan University on Tuesday, April 15 for a conference doubleheader, while the Red Hawks return home on that same day to host New Jersey City University. Both teams play at 3 p.m.
