Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey softball team continued its early-season success at Lions' Park this season as the team posted its second straight sweep of the season on Wednesday. This time the Lions took two games from visiting Muhlenberg College as the hosts won 9-0 in six innings in game one and then completed the sweep with a 2-0 triumph in the second.
TCNJ is a modest 4-0 at home this season and has outscored the opposition an impressive 23-0 in those games.
With the pair of victories, TCNJ evened its record at 9-9, while the Mules fell to 6-10.
The Lions open New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Saturday, March 28 as they head to Montclair State University for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Muhlenberg continues their road swing as the travel to Franklin & Marshall College for two conference games with the Diplomats.
TCNJ 9, Muhlenberg College 0 (6 innings)
Box Score
Junior Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) fired a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in the opening game for her fifth win of the season. Minervini allowed only a third-inning single to Jess Kasza (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg).
TCNJ opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as sophomore Jamie Mastrioanni (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) singled and raced home from second on an infield hit by freshman Katelyn Congilose (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan).
The Lions picked up three more runs in the third with the first of those coming when freshman Crystal Lee (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls) beat the throw home on a fielder's choice. Congilose then singled in the other two on a base hit making it a 4-0 game.
Minervini then helped her own cause in the fifth as she singled in Mastrioanni bumping the lead to 5-0.
TCNJ closed out the win in the last of the sixth scoring four times with sophomore Amy Ullrich (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) ending the game blasting a three-run homer into the screen in left field.
Congilose finished with three hits for the Lions in as many plate appearances.
TCNJ 2, Muhlenberg College 0
Box Score
Freshman Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) had another strong outing on the mound for the Lions limiting the Mules to one hit in seven innings of work. She collected nine strikeouts in her fourth win of the season.
TCNJ picked up its first run in the fourth on a base hit by Congilose scoring Mastrioanni, while junior Danielle Hagel (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Oakcrest) plated the other an inning later with a base hit driving in Lee.
Congilose added to her solid day at the plate with two more hits in the second game for the Lions.
Freshman Maggie Scarpelli (Wyckoff, NJ/Franklin Lakes) had the only hit for the Mules with a sharp double in the fifth inning.
