Newark, NJ... The College of New Jersey opened New Jersey Athletic Conference play posting an 11-0 victory in five innings at Rutgers-Newark on Sunday. The teams were slated to play a doubleheader, but the second game was washed out while in progress.
 
The win was the third straight for the Lions as they are now 12-7 on the season and are 1-0 in the conference. The Lions will return to Newark for that second game on Wednesday, April 4 for a 2 p.m. start.
 
The win was another balanced effort for TCNJ as the team pounded out a dozen hits, got another shutout from senior pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan), and the defense turned in a pair of sparkling plays.
 
The offense got things going in the third scoring three times as Liz Huttner (Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South) and Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) each had RBI singles while another run came across on an error.
 
In the fourth, Fitzsimmons saw her perfect game spoiled with a one-out single by Kelsey Lucas, but bounced right back with consecutive strike outs. Lucas did get into scoring position, but never got a chance to touch the plate as right fielder Michelle Casale (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and a diving catch in the gap to end the inning.
 
The Lions then iced the game in the top of the fifth sending 13 batters to the plate and scored eight times. Huttner had two RBI singles in the inning, while Casale and Kelly Hommen (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) each walked with the bases loaded to force in runs.
 
The defense came up with one more big play to protect the shutout as first baseman Katelyn Congilose (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) snared a pop up in foul territory and quickly threw the ball to second to double off a Scarlet Raider runner and end the game.
 
Huttner had a big game at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with the RBI and two runs scored. She also extended her hitting streak to 13 games. Sogluizzo and Nicole Brodbeck (Atco, NJ/Hammonton) each finished with two hits.
 
Fitzsimmons improved to 8-2 on the season with the shutout being her fifth of the season. She allowed only a pair of hits and struck out five.
 
The Lions remain in conference play on Tuesday when they travel to Rutgers-Camden for a twin bill against the Scarlet Raptors.