JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The TCNJ softball team clicked on all cylinders to complete the lopsided road sweep over NJCU on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions (21-9, 8-6 NJAC) secured a dominant 6-0 shutout in game one as four different players recorded multi-hit performances. In the circle, sophomore Elizabeth Gosse allowed just three hits with seven strikeouts as the Gothic Knights (10-17, 4-10 NJAC) were completely shut down at the plate.

In TCNJ's 3-1 game two victory, freshman Maya Knasiak nearly had another complete-game shutout as she recorded the most single-game strikeouts since Eliza Sweet in 2021, finishing with 13 on the day. Knasiak now has seven wins on the season.

GAME ONE (TCNJ 6, NJCU 0)

• TCNJ struck first in the top of the third on a Mckayla Yard RBI double down center field to score graduate student Kaci Neveling, who reached an at-bat prior on a two-out single.
• In the top of the fourth, junior Rachel Alecci continued the offensive pressure for the Lions after delivering an RBI single up the middle to score freshman Ryleigh Manning from second. The freshman entered as a pinch runner for fellow classmate Sara Vincent, who reached on a one-out base hit.
• The blue and gold ballooned their lead in the top of the fifth, driving in a trio of runs off a Julia Kinnally sacrifice fly to score Neveling and a two-RBI single from Alecci that drove in senior Julia Mayernik and Yard. TCNJ found themselves up comfortably at 5-0.
• Kinnally put the finishing touches to TCNJ's game one victory with her first home run of the season while leading off the top of the seventh.

GAME TWO (TCNJ 3, NJCU 1)

• The Lions once again dealt the first blow, this time in the top of the second after Manning scored from third base on a failed pickoff attempt from NJCU's catcher that turned into an error. The freshman initially entered the game as a pinch runner for Vincent, who led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error.
• An inning later, the blue and gold added on a second run via a Camryn Kitchin RBI single to right centerfield, which was enough to score Kinnally from first. The Lions shortstop had reached with a two-out single.
• The Gothic Knights finally drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single to left centerfield, slashing the Lions' lead down to 2-1.
• Needing an insurance run in the top of the seventh, TCNJ got exactly that on a Yard RBI single right down center field to score Neveling from third. The graduate student initially reached on a two-out single to right field that resulted in her reaching third base after an NJCU fielding error on the play.
• The Lions ended the second game of the doubleheader in an exciting defensive play in which NJCU's lone baserunner was picked off while on first base with two outs.

STANDOUT LIONS

• Neveling finished 5-for-7, scored three runs and stole three total bases in the doubleheader.
• Yard had a three-hit day that included a pair of RBIs and scoring once herself.
• Alecci had two hits and three RBIs in game one.
• Kitchin finished with three hits and an RBI after the two games.

TCNJ TEAM BREAKDOWN

• Game one: TCNJ collected a dozen hits (two for extra bases) with a walk as a team. The team also stole a base.
• Game two: The Lions had six total hits with two steals as a team.

UP NEXT
The Lions will celebrate senior day this upcoming Tuesday by hosting Rutgers-Newark at Dr. June Walker Field for a doubleheader starting at 2 PM.