Ewing, NJ … Following a rain delay that last four hours and ten minutes, The College of New Jersey blanked The College of Staten Island, 1-0 led by a sterling pitching performance from sophomore Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy).
 
The win pits the top-seeded Lions (29-14) against the number two seed, Manhattanville College (38-2), who defeated Neumann University, 9-0 earlier in the day.
 
Platt was spectacular and in command from start to finish. She tossed her fourth complete game shutout of the season, striking out six and limiting the Dolphins to just three hits in the game. Platt improved to 18-4 on the season, and gave TCNJ a huge lift in its opening game of the tourney.
 
The lone in the contest came in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Kristin Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning. Deanna Utter (Byram, NJ/Lenape Valley) reached on a fielder's choice and the throw to second pulled the infielder off the base and Fitzsimmons slid in safely at second. Freshman Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
 
Rookie Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) then sliced a ball towards the shortstop hole that Knight third baseman Christina Tufano dove to her left to stop. There was no throw on the play as Santelli legged it out for an infield single and Fitzsimmons crossed home plate with the game's first run.
 
That would be the only run Platt would need.
 
The Dolphins (25-13) had their best scoring chance in the second. They loaded the bases on a base hit, infield single, and hit batsmen. Platt locked in, however, to get big trikeout swinging to end the inning.
 
CSI pitcher Jacqueline Cautela pitched extremely well for the Knights. She gave up only four hits and struck out three. Cautela is now 13-6 on the season.
 
Senior Jaime Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) had two hits on the day for the Lions.

** A special thank you to the maintenance workers on campus for working hard to get the field ready for the second game today. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and allowed the student-athletes to compete in their opening NCAA tournament game and keep the tourney on schedule.
 
Game 1: Manhattanville 9  Neumann 0 (5 innings)
 
In the opener, pitcher Alycia Feeney made program history by tossing the first perfect game by a Manhattanville pitcher in an NCAA tournament game. Feeney faced 15 batters and recorded 15 outs, striking out six and throwing just 45 pitches.
 
The top-ranked offense in Division III softball flexed its muscle in the opening game. They put up three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a two-run double by Desiree Buboi.
 
In the second, the Valiants erupted for five runs. Sophia Chapelone singled to right-center to make it a 4-0 game. After Laurel Cuito walked to load the bases, Buboi launched her 13^th home run, a grand slam to left-center field.