EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ softball team took care of business at home once again with a pair of conference victories over Montclair State on Saturday.

The Lions (21-9, 11-3 NJAC) completed their third consecutive series sweep to continue their dominance in conference play. Game one saw a stellar pitching performance from freshman Elizabeth Gosse, who allowed just four hits, that was aided by timely RBI hits throughout the game to win 3-1. The blue and gold would then utilize a big offensive third inning to take game two of the doubleheader in comeback fashion, 4-2.

GAME ONE (TCNJ 3, Montclair State 1)
After a quick 1-2-3 inning to start the game by Gosse, the Lions struck first on a Julia Kinnally RBI single that drove in senior Jaclyn Carifi from second. Carifi reached on a one-out single to left before promptly stealing her 12th base of the season. Lions led 1-0 after the first.

Gifted the early lead, Gosse ensured that the Red Hawks wouldn't get a chance to enter scoring position, much less tie the game, by allowing just two singles in the next four innings on the mound.

In the bottom of the fifth, TCNJ added on a pair of insurance runs on two-out hits from Mckayla Yard and Julia Mayernik. With Kaci Neveling on third base, Yard launched a ball right down center field for a standup RBI double. Mayernik drove the third baseman home on a dropping single in shallow center field, giving the blue and gold a 3-0 lead.

Montclair State would score their first run of the doubleheader on a sacrifice fly that drove in a run from third. The Red Hawks runner led off the inning with a double.

However, the visiting team's late game comeback bid ended there after a quick top of the seventh inning gave the Lions the 3-1 victory.

With the win, Gosse officially hit 10 on the season to become the first Lions rookie pitcher to reach double digit wins since Alanna Namit won 17 games in 2018.

GAME TWO (TCNJ 4, Montclair State 2)
The Red Hawks began the back end of the doubleheader by loading the bases with two outs in the top of the first. Their efforts would be shut down by sophomore Julia Roessler who would end the top half by forcing a groundout to first.

Two innings later, however, the Montclair State offense were able to finally capitalize by scoring two runs off an RBI double and an RBI single. Lions entered the bottom of the third down 2-0.

Unfazed, the Lions immediately loaded the bases in the bottom half after the first three batters. After leading off the inning with a walk, Rachel Alecci was pinch ran for by freshman Reina Jeronima, who immediately stole second. Senior Alexis Rizzo then put runners at the corners after singling up the middle. The top of the order now up, Neveling loaded the bases with a walk to bring up Carifi.

Wasting no time, the star centerfielder crushed her fifth triple of the season on an 1-0 count straight down center field to clear the bases. The hit shifted the tone of the game by suddenly giving the Lions a 3-2 lead. Kinnally would tack on another run on a single to center field to score Carifi.

TCNJ avoided trouble in the top of the fourth after stranding three Red Hawks, as well as in the top of the sixth when two Montclair baserunners were stranded.
The visitor's final comeback bid came in the top of the seventh when the tying run came up to the plate with one on and one out. However, the game ended there when the Montclair State batter hit into a game-ending double play.

Senior Gillian Roberts picked up her third win of the season after 2.2 shutout innings in relief of Roessler. Gosse ultimately closed out the final two innings of the game for her first career save.

UP NEXT
The Lions will play its final road doubleheader of the regular season on Tuesday at Rutgers-Newark. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.