SALISBURY, MD. – Led by sophomore
Camryn Kitchin's bat, the TCNJ softball team battled its way to a hard-fought sweep over previously unbeaten Lynchburg at the Margie Knight Tournament on Friday.
The Lions (8-2) took the first game, 6-5, in 10 innings after Kitchin stepped up with the walk-off single to left centerfield, capping a huge three-run comeback effort. In the circle, freshman
Maya Knasiak struck out four batters in the first 7.1 innings of the game before super senior
Gillian Roberts closed out the final 2.2 frames for her third win on the season.
The second game saw the blue and gold pitchers stepping up, with the Lions holding off the Hornets (9-2) on a combined one-run effort from
Julia Roessler and
Elizabeth Gosse. After striking first in the third, the TCNJ offense put together four runs in the final two innings to pull away with the 5-1 victory.
GAME ONE (TCNJ 6, LYNCHBURG 5 – 10 INNINGS)
- Trailing by a run in the bottom of the second, with Kitchin on first base, Morgan Estelow launched a two-run shot to left field to give the Lions an early 2-1 lead.
- After Lynchburg tied the game with an inside-the-park home run in the fifth, the Hornets threatened once again in the sixth with a two-out baserunner on third base. Staying poised, Knasiak got out of the inning unscathed with a huge flyout to right field
- In extra innings, with a baserunner placed on second, Lynchburg immediately capitalized by driving in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth to go up 3-2.
- The Lions immediately tied the game in the bottom half after a sacrifice bunt from Julia Mayernik followed by a sacrifice fly from Knasiak was enough to score senior Julia Kinnally.
- In the bottom of the ninth, TCNJ's offense had the Hornets on the ropes with two outs after a Kitchin single and Kaci Neveling intentional walk loaded the bases. However, the inning ended after a fly out from Mckayla Yard.
- Lynchburg immediately capitalized on TCNJ's missed opportunity in the top of the 10th by retaking the lead with a pair of runs off consecutive singles with runners in scoring position to go up 5-3.
- With their backs once again to the wall, the Lions offense strung together their best showing on the day with five consecutive singles to win the game.
- With Yard placed on second, Kinnally and Mayernik loaded the bases with a pair of sharp singles, before the freshman duo of Knasiak and Taylor Freudenberg tied the game by driving in Yard and Kinnally.
- With the bases still loaded and no outs, and the game now tied, Kitchin connected on the game-winning hit to drive in Mayernik for the victory.
GAME TWO (TCNJ 5, LYNCHBURG 1)
- The Lions struck first in the top of the third on an RBI sac bunt from Kinnally to drive in freshman Ryleigh Manning
- In the top of sixth, TCNJ got an important insurance run in the form of a leadoff Kitchin home run to left field. The dinger was the sophomore's first on the season.
- The insurance quickly proved to be necessary as, in the bottom half of the inning, Lynchburg immediately slashed TCNJ's lead in half with a one-out RBI single.
- TCNJ responded by pulling away in the top of the seventh inning with a three-run effort off a pair of RBIs from Kitchin and freshman Sara Vincent before a wild pitch scored Kitchin herself.
STANDOUT LIONS
- Kitchin finished the doubleheader going 5-for-9 with three RBIs and a double to go along with her home run.
- Mayernik recorded four hits and two runs in the pair of games. The senior also flashed the arm in the top of the third in game one by throwing out a Lynchburg baserunner at second base.
- In the second game, Vincent recorded her third career multi-hit performance after picking up a pair of singles.
TCNJ TEAM BREAKDOWN
- Game one: TCNJ combined for 11 hits and two walks at the plate
- Game two: TCNJ recorded nine hits and two walks, with three stolen bases
UP NEXT
The Lions wrap up their spring break road trip tomorrow at the Margie Knight Tournament with games against Carnegie Mellon and No. 2 Salisbury. Game times are set for 11 AM and 1:15 PM.
