EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ softball team returned home and to its winning ways on Friday afternoon, cruising to a pair of run-rule victories over Cabrini in an impressive non-conference sweep.
Kayla Hillenbrand had two doubles and drove in five runs for the day, while
Mckayla Yard hit her first career home run as part of a 5-for-5 performance at the plate to lead a disciplined Lions offense that drew 13 walks against the beleaguered Cavaliers staff.
Hillenbrand registered a pair of two-run doubles in the opener, including the walk-off hit that delivered a 9-1 victory in the sixth inning, and the Lions (8-3) batted around in the first inning of Game 2 en route to an 8-0 triumph in five frames.
Game 1: TCNJ 9, Cabrini 1 (6)
The Lions threatened right away, loading the bags with one out after
Julia Mayernik and
Julia Kinnally drew back-to-back walks.
Lauren Conroy tried to score the game's first run on a pitch that went to the backstop, but the Cabrini catcher retrieved the ball quickly and threw to the pitcher to apply the tag at the plate for the second out, and Avery Byrnes got out of the jam with a strikeout on the next pitch.
The Cavaliers took advantage in the next inning, taking a 1-0 lead on a two-out, bases-loaded single by Emma Barbera.
TCNJ countered right away, with
Victoria Aspiazu smoking a leadoff double down the left-field line.
Jaclyn Carifi followed with a liner back up the box and took second on a mental lapse by the Cavaliers infield. Yard and
Lindsay Zengel drew back-to-back walks to force in the hosts' first run and keep the train moving for
Kaci Neveling, who lofted a sac fly to center to give TCNJ the lead.
Conroy took a pitch to the back to re-pack the sacks and Mayernik followed with a fly ball to right. The Cabrini outfielder dropped the ball, allowing both Zengel and Yard to score.
Yard tacked on another run in the third, tattooing a fastball well over the fence in left-center field for her first career homer.
Hillenbrand nearly went yard like teammate McKayla in the fourth, but happily settled for a two-run double off the top of the fence in left-center to make it 7-1.
Ally Schlee turned in an efficient effort in the circle, allowing one run on four hits to move to 3-0 with her second complete game of the season.
TCNJ walked it off in the sixth, when Hillenbrand laced her second two-run double down the left-field line to score Mayernik (leadoff walk) and Kinnally (double).
Carifi and Yard each reached base all three times at the plate, both going 2-for-2 with a walk. Hillenbrand finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
The Lions showed off a keen eye at the plate, drawing six walks in the first two frames alone and 11 for the game. Mayernik worked three free passes, while Neveling and Kinnally each logged a pair of bases on balls.
Game 2: TCNJ 8, Cabrini 0 (5)
Neveling and Conroy staked the Lions to an immediate advantage with back-to-back doubles to open the first. After consecutive walks to Mayernik and Kinnally, Hillenbrand continued her huge day with an RBI single through the left side.
After an RBI groundout by Aspiazu and a wild pitch that moved runners up to second and third, Carifi bounced a double just inside the first-base bag to score Hillenbrand, and Yard put a two-run single through the left side to stretch the lead to 6-0.
Carifi made it 7-0 with a two-out RBI double in the fifth, and Yard walked it off with a hard single up the middle.
The beneficiary of all that offense,
Gillian Roberts had no issues making the big lead stand up. She faced the minimum through three and did not allow a runner past second base, conceding just four hits.
Yard was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Carifi finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Neveling had a pair of hits and Hillenbrand scored two runs.
The Lions come right back to Dr. June Walker Field on Saturday to take on Manhattanville. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
