Ewing, N.J. … The College of New Jersey softball team swept Montclair State University this afternoon. They won the first game 8-5 and the second 9-1 in five innings. The two wins put the Lions in a three way tie for second place in the NJAC. The final standings will be determined after tomorrow's games.
 
 
Game 1: TCNJ 8, Montclair 5
 
Montclair got off to a quick start in the top of the first. Lia Stamile singled to right to score Noel Hodgkins and Brooke Powers to take a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Alana Luna homered to right field, and within a matter of minutes, the Red Hawks held a 4-0 advantage.
 
The Lions struck back in the second with three runs. Sophmore Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) and Deanna Utter (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) opened with back-to-back walks. Sophomore Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) the doubled to left-center to chase home McGuire. Following a second out, freshman Daniella Marino (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) punched a single to right field to score Utter. Levine was interfered at third and was awarded home on the play.
 
Down by a run, senior Jaime Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) singled to left to score Marino and the game was knotted at four.
 
TCNJ starting pitcher Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) settled in to retire the side in order in the second and third. An RBI-single by freshman Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) gave the Lions their first lead, 5-4.
 
Purcell laced a double to left-center with out in the fourth. McGuire followed with a single to right-center and extend the TCNJ lead to 6-4.
 
The Red Hawks threatened in the fifth by loading the bases. With one out, Brooke Powers hit a line drive right back at Platt. Platt speared the line drive and quickly threw to first to complete the double play and end the inning.
 
Senior Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) roped an RBI-double in the fifth and Purcell stroked her third hit of the game to score Vuono and the Lions chalked up their eighth unanswered run.
 
Platt threw five scoreless innings after the opening frame. She pitched into the seventh and was touched for a final run, but Sara Bielamowicz (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) came on in relief to record her first career save.
 
Purcell finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Levine doubled twice and score a pair of runs, and Kristen Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ / Sayreville War Memorial) and McGuire each had two hits.
 
Game 2: TCNJ 9, Montclair 1 (five innings)
 
The Lions got out of a jam early on. In the top of the first inning, bases were loaded with two outs. Shortstop Vuono made a popup catch to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
 
TCNJ's first at bat saw one run come in. Vuono doubled to center to get on base and then Fitzsimmons walked. Purcell laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners and Vuono made it home on a past ball.
 
Montclair added a run of their own in the top of the second to tie the game up 1-1.
 
With bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the third, Levine hit a sacrifice fly to get one run in. Santelli then ripped a double to left field to send two more base runners home.
 
The Lions tallied one more run in the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead.
 
TCNJ exploded for four runs in the fifth, highlighted by a one run double by Santelli and a one run single by Fitzsimmons. The final run of the game walked in, to hand the Lions the 9-1 victory in five innings.
 
Senior Katie Hourihan (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) pitched the entire game to earn her sixth win of the season. She allowed just four hits and struck out one batter.
 
The Lions have a quick turnaround as they host Ramapo College for their last conference doubleheader of the regular season, with games slated for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The team will also be honoring six senior players after the doubleheader.