Ewing, N.J. … The College of New Jersey softball team captured a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference victories on Sunday as they defeated New Jersey City University 5-1 and 9-1 at Dr. June Walker Field.
 
The wins push the Lions season record to 18-9 and 5-1 in the NJAC. The Gothic Knights are an even 11-11 on the season and 0-6 in the conference.

Game 1: TCNJ  5  NJCU 1
 
Sophomore Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount St. Dominic Academy) cruised to her 10^th win of the season as she led the Lions to a 5-1 in the opener. Platt went six and one-third innings, scattering four hits, while striking out four. Senior Ashtin Helmer (Succusunna, NJ/Roxbury) came on in relief with the bases loaded and struck out both batters she faced to earn her fourth save.
 
 
Three hits in the first led to a pair of runs for the Lions. Kristen Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville Memorial) started the inning with a bunt single and sprinted home on a base hit to left by sophomore Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills). Senior Jaime Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic Academy) followed with a single up the middle and later scored on an infield error.
 
In the second, sophomore Cathy Drury (Flanders, NJ/Mt. Olive) dropped down a bunt and beat it out for a hit. Fitzsimmons then lined a shot over the head of the center fielder for an RBI-double.
 
 An unearned run in the fourth stretched the Lions lead to 4-0.
 
Platt was cruising along, allowing just one baserunner through the first three innings. She held the Gothic Knights scoreless until they were able punch in a run in the sixth.
 
TCNJ got the run back in the bottom of the frame. Senior Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) doubled and came home on an error.
 
Fitzsimmons and Levine finished with two hits each in the win.
 
Game 2: TCNJ 9  NJCU 1
 
Helmer yielded just two hits over five innings and struck out three to move to 3-3 on the season. She was touched for a run in the first and then blanked the Gothic Knights over the next four frames.
 
 NJCU jumped out to that early lead in the first, but TCNJ came back with an unearned run to tie the game.
 
In the third, Drury legged out an infield single to lead off the inning. After Vuono drew a walk, Fitzsimmons was hit by a pitch. That loaded the bases for freshman Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert). She ripped an inside pitch down the left-field line to clear the bases and give the Lions a 4-0 lead.
 
Purcell lined a base hit to right-center to score Bennett and Helmer had a five-run cushion.
 
TCNJ scored three more in the fourth. A single by Deanna Utter (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley) followed by a Drury double to left-center put runners on second and third. After Vuono walked, Fitzsimmons drew a free pass to force home a run. Bennett struck again with a single up the middle to plate two more.
 
With one out in the fifth, drove in her sixth run of the game with a line drive to right-center to score Drury. Bennett would have had a seventh RBI with Vuono scoring, but the eight-run rule was in effect.
 
Vuono, Drury and Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) all finished with two hits in the game.
 
TCNJ visits Rutgers-Camden on Tuesday for an NJAC doubleheader slated for 3:00 p.m.