MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Led by a monster day from senior Kaci Neveling, the TCNJ Softball team returned to their dominant winning fashion at the Fastpitch Dreams Classic after sweeping a pair of games on Tuesday.

Neveling had a day to remember after totaling 10 RBIs between the two games, seven of which came in the morning match against Muhlenberg. The figure marks the highest single-game RBI total from a TCNJ player since 2011.

The Lions (5-1) also flashed their power at the plate, with three batters combining for four total home runs throughout the day. Two of which came at the hands of Neveling, who blasted a grand slam against the Mules.

TCNJ 9, Muhlenberg 2
Muhlenberg struck first in the bottom of the first, scoring off a fielding error with the bases loaded.

Lions tied the lead immediately in the top of the second when Mckayla Yard doubled to left center to score freshman Camryn Kitchin. With two outs, Kaci Neveling drove in her first two runs of the day with a triple to left field that dropped over the Muhlenberg outfielder's head. The hit allowed Alexis Rizzo and Mckayla Yard to cross home plate safely, giving the Lions a 3-1 lead.

Two innings later, Neveling again hit a rocket to the left side of the outfield with an RBI double to send Yard home.

TCNJ separated themselves further in the top of the seventh. Leading off the inning, Julia Kinnally crushed a ball to left center for her first home run of the season. Six batters later, with two outs and the bases loaded, Neveling would follow suit as she drove a ball out of the ballpark to right field to score Yard, Gianna Vazquez and Kitchin. The exclamation mark gave the Lions a commanding 9-1 lead.

Muhlenberg would take a run back in the bottom of the seventh after a two out double from Maddy Svenningsen scored Jane Banahan.

Neveling finished the game batting 3-of-5, 7 RBIs, one run and a single shy of hitting for the cycle.  

The duo of Kinnally and Yard each finished with three hits, and combined for four runs scored. Kitchin finished with two hits and scoring two runs. Camryn Davies and Jaclyn Carifi each collected a hit in the game.

On the mound, freshman Elizabeth Gosse picked up her third career win in as many appearances after pitching the first 6.2 innings of the game and recording four strikeouts while only giving up a lone run.

Senior Alexandra DiBenedetto recorded the final out of the game to secure the win for the blue and gold.
 
TCNJ 6, McDaniel 2
The second game of the day for the Lions began in a pitcher's duel, with TCNJ's Julia Roessler and McDaniel's Mel Grant giving up only one total run in the first 3 and a half innings of the game.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, Camryn Kitchin broke the tie with a solo shot to left centerfield to give TCNJ the early lead. The homer marked the star freshman's second of her young career.

In the fourth, Kitchin doubled the lead with an RBI single, driving in Jaclyn Carifi who had tripled to left field to leadoff the inning. Mckayla Yard kept the lineup moving with hard hit ball towards second base that resulted in an infield hit. Both runners advanced a base after a well-placed sacrifice bunt from Rachel Alecci. Fittingly, Kaci Neveling broke the low-scoring game wide open after blasting a three run shot past left centerfield to score Yard and Kitchin. The inning ended with the Lions up 5-0.

McDaniel responded in the top of the sixth after consecutive one-out doubles scored a run, before a single to right field scored another runner from second base with two outs. Coming out of the bullpen in relief, senior Gillian Roberts shut down the Green Terror's chances for more runs by forcing a groundout to third base for the final out. TCNJ ended the top half of the inning up 5-2.

Julia Kinnally knocked in an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out single to center field to score Neveling from third base.

Roessler earned her second win of the season after pitching 5.2 innings and recording four strikeouts while conceding just two runs. In relief, Roberts went the final 1.1 innings in shutout fashion.

For the Lions, Sophomore Mckayla Yard finished the day a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate, collecting three hits in both games played.

Up Next
TCNJ will conclude their week at the Fastpitch Dreams Classic with two afternoon games against Suffolk and FDU-Florham on Wednesday. The Suffolk game is a rescheduled match from last Friday, which had been postponed due to rain delay.