EWING, N.J. - The TCNJ softball team hosted Montclair State in the first round of the NJAC Tournament Tuesday afternoon, battling through a pitcher's duel before getting back-to-back RBI doubles from
Camryn Kitchin and
Emily Evans to beat the Red Hawks 2-0 and advance to Thursday's semifinal. Kitchin's sixth-inning hit was not only the decider in another low-scoring game between the teams, but also served as the 100th hit of her career – 20 of which have been doubles.
Maya Knasiak drew the start in the circle and made quick work of the top of Montclair State's (26-15) lineup. Of note the junior fanned the final Red Hawks batter she would see in the inning, pushing her season total to 151, the second-most in a single season in program history.
The Lions (24-13) had a chance to take the lead in the home half of the first after
Olivia Santos and
Morgan Leonhauser found themselves in scoring position following a wild pitch, but it was TCNJ going down via a pair of swinging strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.
Knasiak extended her own streak of Ks to four by retiring the side in the second before finally conceding a hit in the third inning, though a routine grounder ended the inning on the next at-bat.
The junior continued to trade blows with Montclair State's Carly Mockenhaupt through the fourth inning, but the Red Hawks turned the pitcher's duel into a truel one inning later by bringing in Jordan Tarabokia in an attempt to keep the Lions off balance. The freshman allowed a lone hit in her first inning of work before TCNJ finally broke the tie in the sixth.
The Lions' first two batters went down in order, but next to the plate was
Dani Biggio, who worked herself a five-pitch walk in her first plate appearance of the day to keep the inning alive. Kitchin stepped up following the walk and after a marathon at-bat – the senior saw 10 pitches – sent one all the way to the wall in left field to score Biggio from first and give TCNJ the 1-0 lead. Evans followed suit on the ensuing at-bat, ripping a double of her own just inside the left field foul line to double the Lions' lead heading into the seventh.
Elizabeth Gosse, who had entered the game with two outs in the sixth, allowed a leadoff single in the seventh before retiring three straight pinch hitters to clinch the 2-0, shutout win and punch TCNJ's ticket to Thursday's semifinal.
STANDOUT LIONS
- Knasiak (14-4): 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 7 Ks
- Gosse (W, 6-5): 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 K
- Evans: 2-3, 2 2B, 1 RBI
- Kitchin: 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 100th career hit
UP NEXT
- The Lions will be on the road Thursday, April 30 to take on 16th-ranked and top-seeded Stockton in the NJAC Semifinals. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
