Glassboro, N.J. … The College of New Jersey softball team shook off a rough opening game to tackle a split with Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.
 
After dropping a 12-2, five-inning decision in the opener, the Lions offense found their rhythm in game two to claim a 7-5 victory in the nightcap. 
 
Game 1: Rowan 12  TCNJ 2 (5 innings)
 
Rowan tallied the first runs of the game in the first inning, but TCNJ got out of a bases loaded jam with two outs to hold the Profs to just a two run advantage.
 
Two more runs in the second stretched the Rowan lead to 4-0, the Lions added two runs of their own in the fourth to cut the deficit in half. Colleen Phelan (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) started the rally with a single, then advanced to second when Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) singled to right center.
 
Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills). Then senior Jamie Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) roped a hit up the middle to bring in the two runs.
 
The Profs kept the Lions off the board for the remainder of the game, while adding eight more to claim a 12-2 victory in five innings.
 
Katie Hourihan (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) got the start on the mound, allowing four hits while striking out two. In relief, Sara Bielamowicz (Lawrence Township, NJ/Lawrence) finished out the game, pitching two and one third innings.
 
At the plate, Kristen Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) went 2-for-2, including a double to lead the offense.
 
 
Game 2: TCNJ 7, Rowan 5
 
The Lions dusted off the opener and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first. Bennett and Levine both singled and Purcell drove them in with a double to left field. Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) also connected for a two-bagger to score Purcell and then raced home herself when Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) singled.
 
Rowan cut that lead in half when they plated two runs in the bottom of the inning, but Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) retaliated in the top of the second with a homerun to regain the momentum.
 
The bats remained hot for TCNJ, as they got generated two more runs off of three hits in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-2.
 
Rowan rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, getting as close as 7-5 before the Lions got the last outs to end the game and secure the victory.
 
Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) pitched into the seventh before giving way to senior Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury). Platt returned, however, to record the final two outs to secure her ninth win of the season.
 
Levine was 2-for-3 from the plate, while Purcell went two-for-four. Both drove in two RBI's.  
 
The Lions return to action on April 9 when host New Jersey City University for a conference doubleheader. Game one is slated for a 1 p.m. start with the second to follow at 3 p.m.