Osceola, Fla. … The College of New Jersey softball team closed out its Florida trip with a double header sweep of McDaniel College on Thursday afternoon at the Osceola Softball Complex.
 
The Lions (6-4) defeated the Green Terror (4-8) 5-2 in the opener and followed it up with a 5-1 victory in back-end game. TCNJ enjoyed a successful trip down south, posting a 6-2 record during the week.
 
The pitching on Thursday was a key ingredient in both wins. Junior Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mt. Saint Dominic Academy) and freshman Kristen Barrera (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) both tossed complete games as the Lions' defense permitted just three runs over 14 innings of play.
 
 
Game 1: TCNJ 5  McDaniel 2
 
Platt went the distance for her second straight win and third on the trip. She struck out a season-high six Green Terror hitters and was touched for a pair of unearned runs.
 
McDaniel jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the first. The Lions answered with two in the second to edge ahead, 2-1. Back-to-back singles by Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) and Helena Coppola (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) put runners on first and second with nobody out. Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Arrielle Couso (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) stroked a two-strike single to right to score Santelli and tie the game. A fielder's choice by Annalise Suitovsky (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills) scored Coppola and TCNJ pushed ahead by a run.
 
The Green Terror evened the score with a run in the second, but the Lions put two more on the board in the third. Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) was hit by a pitch and Santelli followed with a sharp single to center. Carey then reached on an error to load the bases. With two out, Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) singled through the middle to plate McGuire and Santelli to make it a 4-2 game.
 
Platt allowed just one hit during the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, while TCNJ added an insurance run in the fifth. A McGuire walk, Carey sacrifice bunt, and Santelli single put runners in the scoring position. Coppola knocked in the final run with a ground ball to short to score Nerylix Cerda (North Bergen, NJ/High Tech), who pinch-ran for McGuire.
 
Santelli finished a perfect 3-for-3 in the game. Platt is now 3-2 on the season.
 
Game 2: TCNJ 5  McDaniel 1
 
Determined to finish the trip on a winning note, TCNJ came to bat in the second inning in a scoreless game. They returned to the field up 5-0 as they erupted for six hits in the inning.
 
Santelli chalked up her fourth hit of the day to open the top of the second. Carey moved her over with a bunt before Bennett singled to left. She promptly stole second base to put both runners in scoring position. Couso delivered two-run single to right to put the Lions up 2-0.
 
Couso stole second and raced home to score on an hit off the bat of Suitovsky. Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) ripped the fifth hit of the

inning and advanced to second on the throw as Suitovsky rolled into third. Freshman Megan Mayernik (Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington) reached on an error that scored Suitovsky and McGuire capped the rally with an RBI-single to right.
 
Barrera was in command throughout the contest. She scattered eight hits over seven innings and struck out one. Barrera was touched for a single run in the sixth and stranded two baserunners in the seventh by inducing a fly ball to right and a pop-up to second to secure the win.
 
McGuire finished with a pair of hits for TCNJ, while Couso drove in two.
 
Through 10 games this season, the Lions are hitting .306 as a team. Six starters are hitting over .310, led by Mayernik who is batting at a .400 clip (12-for-30). They have also been able to manufacture runs, compiling 25 sacrifice bunts through 10 games and stealing 13 bases on 15 attempts. The pitching staff has accumulated a team earned run average of 2.80.
 
The Lions are scheduled to host DeSales University for a double header on Wednesday, March 22 at 3 and 5 p.m. at Dr. June Walker Field.