Ewing, NJ...Riding the arms of pitchers Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) and Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan), The College of New Jersey's softball team swept a doubleheader from sixth-ranked SUNY Cortland on Saturday allowing only one run over the two games.
Minervini had a complete game shutout as the Lions won the opener 1-0, while Fitzsimmons also went the distance as TCNJ won the nightcap, 3-1.
TCNJ also had timely hitting and a pair of key defensive plays that helped seal the sweep.
The win put the Lions at 13-3 on the season, while the Red Dragons dropped to 10-4. It also marked the first time since March 27, 2008 that SUNY Cortland was swept.
The sweep against the Red Dragons capped a solid week for the Lions as they went 5-1 in their six games, while also recording a split with fourth-ranked and defending national champion Messiah College.
TCNJ returns to action on Tuesday, March 30 with two games at Gwynedd Mercy College, while the Red Dragons don't play until Thursday, April 1 hosting Alfred University for a doubleheader.
Game 1
TCNJ 1, SUNY Cortland 0 (Box Score)
Minervini fired a three-hit shutout as the Lions claimed the opening game. She struck out four as picking up her sixth win of the season.
TCNJ plated the game's only run in the last of the third as sophomore Crystal Lee (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls) laced a single up the middle scoring freshman Michelle Casale (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) from second base for a 1-0 advantage.
For SUNY Cortland, senior pitcher Katie Finch (Amsterdam, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) threw well in defeat allowing only the one run on one hit. She finished with 12 strikeouts.
Freshman Lucia Meola (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) picked up two hits for the Red Dragons.
Game 2
TCNJ 3, SUNY Cortland 1 (Box Score)
Fitzsimmons remained undefeated on the season allowing one run on three hits along with six strikeouts. She is 7-0 on the season with five complete games.
Senior Dani Hagel (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Oakcrest) got TCNJ's offense going leading off the second inning with a home run to left center. Two outs later, freshman Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) lined a single into right field scoring junior Caitlyn Seamster (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) making it a 2-0 game.
The Lions added to their lead in the third as sophomore Katelyn Congilose (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) doubled home Hagel.
The Red Dragons scored their lone run in the sixth inning as Kayla Lynch (Albany, NY/Colonie) had a RBI double.
Fitzsimmons also had plenty of help from her defense as Hagel made a diving catch in center field taking away an extra-base hit from Cortland's Donnalyn Cross (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Valley) and Lee hauled in long drive by Emily Ringen (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) at the fence with a runner in scoring position to end the sixth.
Cortland's Lyndsay Rowell (Sandy Creek, NY/Sandy Creek) took the loss allowing only one earned run on seven hits.
