Ewing, NJ... The College of New Jersey softball team recorded a doubleheader split for the second time this week as the 23rd-ranked Lions dropped the opener and then bounced back in the second game on Saturday against Susquehanna University.

The Crusaders took the first game 9-0 in five innings, before TCNJ battled back for a 7-1 triumph to secure the split. The Lions are now 11-2 on the season, while Susquehanna is 8-4.

TCNJ is home again on Tuesday, March 22 at 3 p.m. hosting Muhlenberg College for a doubleheader at Lions' Park.

Game 1
Susquehanna 9, TCNJ 0
The Crusaders plated four runs in the top of the first to set the tone in the opener. Junior Lisa Finizio (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) started things off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Brennan Balfour (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) then laced a line-drive double to score Finizio with the game's first run. Susquehanna then loaded the bases and pushed across three more before the Lions were able to escape the inning.

A pair of home runs put the game out of reach in the top of the fifth. Freshman Brittany Devlin (Furlong, PA/Central Bucks East) hit a three-run shot to left field before senior Kim Rubino (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany) belted a two-run homer later in the inning.

Sophomore Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) had the lone Lions' hit, ripping a double to left-center in the fourth inning. Freshman pitcher Alex Carisone (Branchburg, NJ/Rutgers Prep) suffered her first loss of the season.

Game 2
TCNJ 7, Susquehanna 1
The Lions opened the scoring in bottom of the third as junior Crystal Lee (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) doubled and then came home on a base hit by sophomore Liz Huttner (Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South).

TCNJ increased its lead in the fourth with two more runs with the first coming on a single by Lee scoring Kristen Lake (Readington, NJ/Hunterdon Central). The second run came on a sacrifice fly from Sogluizzo as Michelle Casale (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) crossed the plate.

The runs continued in the fifth as sophomore Kelly Hommen (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) doubled in a run and scored a batter later as junior Michelle Kent (Sparta, NJ/Pope John) laced a single to center making it a 5-0 game. The final two runs of the inning came on a triple to the right-field corner by Lee scoring Kent and Casale.

Freshman pitcher Kelly Hardman (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) picked up her second win of the season for the Lions with a complete game. She allowed only an unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts.

Lee finished with three hits, while Congilose and Kent each had a pair.