Allentown, PA … The College of New Jersey softball team improved their record to 10-5 with a pair of victories over Muhlenberg College this afternoon. They rallied late to tally a 5-1 victory in the opener and gritted their way to a 5-3 triumph in the nightcap.
 
Game 1: TCNJ 5, Muhlenberg 1
 
TCNJ broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the seventh inning to down the Mules 5-1. Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) scattered five hits and struck out two to raise her record to 6-1.
 
 
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Lions drew even when Deanna Utter (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) delivered an RBI single.  With two outs and a runner on first and third, Utter singled up the middle to bring in Jamie Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy).
 
The game remained deadlocked until TCNJ erupted for four runs in the top of the seventh. Utter ignited the rally with a double and crossed the plate with the go-ahead run off a fielder's choice from Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern). A pinch-hit double by Jess Stevenson (Belmar, NJ/Red Bank Regional) followed by a run-scoring single by Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) extended the lead to 5-1.
 
That was all Platt would need as she retired the side in order in the seventh.
 
Leading the offense for TCNJ was Utter, who went 2-for-3 at the plate. Bennett and Purcell also went 2-for-4 in the opener.
 
Game 2: TCNJ 5, Muhlenberg 3
 
The Lions battled out of jams in the third, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings as Muhlenberg left runners on base in the contest. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Kristen Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth, and the offense tacked on an insurance run in the seventh to give senior Katie Hourihan (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) her second win of the season.
 
TCNJ took the early 1-0 lead in the second when Stevenson drove in Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills). They continued to build the lead in the third by scoring two more runs.
 
Muhlenberg answered back with a run in the third and two in the fifth to tie up the game at 3-3.
 
In the top of the sixth, TCNJ regained its advantage Purcell singled to open the frame. Cathy Drury singled and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central). Fitzsimmons then lifted a fly ball to allowing pinch runner Daniella Marino (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) to slide in safely.
 
The top of the seventh saw another run for the Lions, when Levine drilled a double to left field to chase home Bennett home, who had singled.
 
Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ Roxbury) pitched four innings and allowed just four hits, two runs and struck out one. Hourihan came in for relief in the fifth and gave up just one run on one hit, while striking out a batter.
 
Stevenson led the Lions offensively as she went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI. Bennett and Levine both went 2-for-4 with an RBI each.
 
The Lions are back in action this Friday, March 25 for their first home games with a double header against SUNY Cortland. The first matchup will start at 2 p.m. and the second is slated for 4 p.m.