EWING, N.J. - The TCNJ softball team was back home to take on Montclair State in NJAC action Sunday afternoon, taking Game 1 5-1 before cruising to a 10-2, Game 2 win to secure the sweep of the Red Hawks and take sole possession of second place in the conference standings.
 
GAME 1: TCNJ 5, Montclair State 1
 
Maya Knasiak was the difference-maker in Sunday's opener, tossing a complete game on the mound and hitting her first homer of the season to lead the Lions (16-12, 8-2 NJAC) to a Game 1 win.
 
After a scoreless first inning, it was the sophomore striking in the second with her first long ball in 2025, launching one to dead center to give TCNJ the early 1-0 lead. The Red Hawks (20-10, 6-4 NJAC) responded with a run of their own in the top of the third, but a two-run home half gave the Lions back a lead they would hold the rest of the way.
 
Neveling opened the inning with a double to center field, with Morgan Estelow taking one off the elbow to put two on with no one out. On the ensuing at-bat it was Neveling stealing third and taking advantage of an errant throw to score and move Estelow to second before a grounder off the bat of Julia Kinnally moved Estelow to third. The junior would score on the next at-bat when Sara Vincent laid down a perfect bunt to make it 3-1.
 
TNCJ threatened the blow the game open in the fifth inning when Vincent, Mckayla Yard and Knasiak all reached safely to load the bases with no outs, but the Lions could only muster one run – coming on Montclair State's second error of the inning – before a trio of groundouts ended the promising frame.
 
TCNJ's fifth and final run came in the sixth inning when Yard roped a single through the left side to score Kinnally and make it a 5-1 game. Knasiak returned to the circle for a seventh inning of work, forcing three grounders to secure the complete game and 5-1 win.
 
STANDOUT LIONS

• Knasiak allowed just one run in the circle while going 2-3 with an RBI and a run at the plate.
• Vincent and Yard both finished 2-4 with an RBI.

GAME 2: TCNJ 10, Montclair State 2 (5 inn.)
 
Hits came early and often for the Lions in Game 2 en route to a run-rule win.
 
After Elizabeth Gosse struck out the side to open the game, it was Neveling ripping a triple to right field on TCNJ's first at-bat of the rematch. The graduate student scored on an Estelow grounder before Kinnally and Vincent hit back-to-back singles to restart the rally. Stepping to the plate was Yard, who worked a full count before launching her first home run of the season to left field to balloon the Lions' lead to 4-0 early.
 
As was the case in the first game the Red Hawks got a pair back in the top of the second to cut into the lead, but another three-run home half with the runs coming via an RBI double by Estelow and two-run shot from Kinnally quickly made it a 7-2 game.
 
Gosse continued to work through Montclair State's order with ease, retiring the next six batters she faced before RBIs by Vincent and Yard as well as another run scored after a Red Hawk error set the Lions up with a chance to end things early.
 
Up 10-2 heading into the fifth, Gosse fanned two of the final four batters she faced, tying her career high with nine strikeouts and earning the run-rule win.
 
STANDOUT LIONS

• Kinnally finished a perfect 3-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored.
  • The graduate student hit her team-best third homer of the season.
• Vincent also went 3-3 with one RBI and one run, combining to go 5-7 across both games.
• Estelow finished 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs.
• Yard hit her first home run of the season and the ninth of her career.

NOTES

• Knasiak's Game 1 win was the 20th of her career.
• Gosse's win in Game 2 was the 30th of her career.
  • The junior also eclipsed 300 career innings pitched.
• Vincent now holds a team-high, six-game hitting streak, with multiple hits in each of the last three.

UP NEXT

• The Lions are back on the road for a highly touted matchup against second-ranked Rowan Tuesday, April 15. First pitch of the NJAC doubleheader is set for 2:30 p.m.