Ewing, NJ... The College of New Jersey paid a fitting tribute to its former coach as the Lions put forth a complete effort in a 3-0 victory over SUNY Cortland in the inaugural game played at Dr. June Walker Field on Saturday. The Red Dragons came back with a 13-7 win in the second game to earn the split.
 
Prior to the opening pitch, a brief ceremony was held to “officially” open the field, with a number of former players gathering on the field. There was a ribbon cutting and the unveiling of the outfield wind screen honoring all of the program's NCAA Championships and tournament appearances. The field was renamed back in October.
 
Walker was the head coach for 22 seasons, spanning from 1974 until 1995. During that time, she guided the Lions to a record of 721-154, winning five NCAA Division III Championships and seven second-place finishes.
 
The split put the Lions at 10-4 on the season, while SUNY Cortland is 6-8.
 
The Lions are right back on the field tomorrow, March 24 for another doubleheader, hosting Muhlenberg College at 1 p.m.
 
Game 1
TCNJ 3, SUNY Cortland 0
Freshman pitcher Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) scattered seven hits over seven innings to earn the win for TCNJ. She finished with five strikeouts for her second shutout of the season.
 
The Lions scored the initial run at Dr. June Walker Field in the third inning as senior Liz Huttner (Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South) singled home freshman Christine Desiderio (Babylon, NY/Babylon) from second.
 
TCNJ doubled that lead in the fifth with Desiderio again scoring, this time on a sacrifice fly to left field by senior Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South).
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions tacked on a final run thanks to a single up the middle by freshman Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern), which scored classmate Deanna Utter (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley).
 
The game ended with a big defensive play by the Lions when shortstop Kristen Lake (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) snared a line drive and quickly tagged the Cortland runner that was caught too far off of second base for a game-ending double play.
 
Huttner was a perfect 2-for-2 for TCNJ.
 
Seniors Nicole Gallo (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) and Lucia Meola (Liverpool, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) each finished with two hits for the Red Dragons.
 
Game 2
SUNY Cortland 13, TCNJ 7
There were plenty of runs in the second game with the Red Dragons striking for a pair in the top of the first as Diane Cork (Wayland, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) and Jamie Bucci (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) each reached on hits and came around to score.
 
The Lions responded in a big way scoring six times in their half of the inning. Soguizzo drove in the first run with a double and a couple batters later senior Kelly Hommen (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) singled in a pair. Lake capped the inning with a towering three-run home run putting the hosts in front 6-2.
 
SUNY Cortland got three of those runs back in the third when Emily Wolstenholme (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) hit a base-clearing double.
 
One inning later, the Red Dragons tied the game on a Cork double and two batters later Meola singled in a run putting the visitors in front 7-6.
 
The Red Dragons added five runs in the fifth with pinch-hitter Alicia Hibbard (Canastota, NY/Canastota) coming up with a three-run double for the  big hit.
 
In the sixth, the Lions got one run back as Lake singled and later scored on a Cortland error.
 
Lake had a big game at the plate for TCNJ, going 4-for-4, with three RBI and she also scored a pair of runs.
 
Cortland's Krista Oakes (Akwesasne, NY/Salmon River) earned the win, while Nicole Hroncich (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) suffered her first loss for the Lions.