Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey softball team completed their fifth sweep in six chances during conference play defeating 25
th-ranked William Paterson University 5-1 and 9-3. The Lions, who are receiving votes for the first time this season in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, are 23-5 on the season and 11-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference Play. The Pioneers are 19-9 overall and 6-4 in the NJAC.
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The Lions jumped out in the bottom of the first when
Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) and
Megan Mayernik (Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington) scored on a single by
Gaby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Stienert).
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In the third the Lions tacked on a trio of insurance runs. First, Mayernik scored for the second time in the game on an RBI ground out. Bennett then doubled home Levine.
Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) competed the rally with an RBI single.
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The Pioneers scratched across a run in the top of the fifth off Lions starter
Alanna Namit (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingston) and had the bases loaded with just one out, but Namit induced a fielder's choice with the Lions recording the out at the plate and a grounder to second to escape the inning with no further damage. Namit struck out seven and allowed just three hits in the complete game victory.
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The Lions got off to a slow start in game two as the Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. TCNJ would immediately respond in the bottom half, with the Lions scoring on a passed ball before McGuire produced a two-run single.
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In the third, TCNJ took the lead with a
Lauren Conroy (Aberdeen, NJ/Matawan Regional) RBI-single and a two-run double from McGuire. McGuire finished the day with six RBIs.
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William Paterson got a run back on a two-out triple in the fourth, but would not score again.
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TCNJ got insurance runs in the fourth and fifth. In the sixth, McGuire missed a home run by mere feet, settling for a two-run double off the top of the center field fence.
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The Lions will hit the road with a trip to Kean University for a double header Saturday at 1:00 PM.
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