VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. – The No. 18 TCNJ Softball team edged out Manhattanville, 2-1, in the first game of the 2023 NCAA Regionals on Thursday afternoon.
The Lions (30-9) relied on a stellar pitching performance on the mound which shut out Manhattanville (38-6) in the final eight innings of the game. Offensively, the blue and gold totaled nine hits on the day and strung together huge plays to rally past the Valiants after an early deficit.
Getting her 20th start on the season, freshman
Elizabeth Gosse went the first three innings of the game and struck out three batters. After allowing the Valiants to strike first in the top of the first, the southpaw responded with consecutive three up, three down innings in the second and third.
TCNJ quickly tied the game as, in the bottom of the second, senior
Alexis Rizzo laid down a perfect bunt to score
Mckayla Yard from third, tying the game at one apiece. The sophomore had reached base on a one-out double before advancing to third on a wild pitch.
Julia Kinnally gave the Lions the lead an inning later after she doubled to left field to drive in
Jaclyn Carifi from second, putting the Lions up 2-1. Carifi led off the inning with a successful bunt single to third base that resulted in her reaching second after a throwing error by the Valiants' third baseman.
Facing a two on with no out situation in the top of the fourth, the Lions turned to senior
Ally Schlee out of the bullpen in an effort to exit the inning unscathed. And just like the senior had done time after time through the NJAC Playoffs, she immediately punched out her first batter, recorded the second out on a lineout to Kinnally, before closing out the inning herself after forcing a weak grounder.
After a quick fifth and even quicker sixth inning on the mound, closing out the seventh and final inning proved to be much more challenging for Schlee as, with two outs, the senior found herself in a high-leverage bases loaded situation. She would ultimately pull through by forcing a groundout to
Camryn Davies at second for the game-ending groundout.
Giving up just a lone hit and shutting out the final four innings of the game, Schlee was awarded her fifth win on the year.
At the plate, a trio of Lions had multi-hit games as Carifi, Kinnally and Rizzo each finished with two apiece. Neveling, Yard and Alecci each tacked on a hit of their own. Behind the plate, junior
Julia Mayernik made a huge defensive play in the fifth that saw her laser down a Valiant baserunner for her seventh throwout on the year.
UP NEXT
Moving on into the winner's bracket, the Lions will take on No. 13 Virginia Wesleyan in a nationally ranked showdown, with both teams looking to advance onto Saturday undefeated. The first pitch is scheduled at noon.
