Though they fought to the very end, the women’s softball team could not grab a win this past week, as they took on some of the best teams in the league. There was some key pitching and clutch hits in risky situations, but the Lions are looking forward to this week as they continue to improve their position in the standings.
In the first double-header of the week, the Lions faced Richard Stockton College in what would be a hard-fought attempt. The Ospreys took both games over the Lions, the first by a score of 5-3. The first inning was explosive, as both teams scored immediately. Sophomore designated hitter Deanna Utter was able to score the Lions’ first run as the Ospreys walked her in.
The Lions began a comeback in the third inning when senior first baseman Nicole Brodbeck and sophomore outfielder Kristen Fitzsimmons each doubled, Brodbeck got a run and the score became 5-2. Senior shortstop Kristen Lake then scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman first baseman Jessica Kennick, closing the gap in runs.
However, there was not enough time for the College to catch up completely, and the game finished in a 5-3 defeat.
In the next game against the Ospreys, the Lions fell behind early and were again out of time to begin to catch up. The final score would be 9-3.
The Lions’ first run came in the third inning when Kennick singled, making it 4-1. But the fifth inning was what hurt the Lions the most, as the Ospreys scored a total of five runs. The Lions were able to score two more runs, but it was not enough to counter the Ospreys’ nine runs.
Kennick had a great day for the Lions, going three-for-four with two RBI.
The Lions knew they had some work to do in their next double-header against Ramapo College, but again fell as Ramapo took both games in dominating fashion.
In the first game, the Lions lost to the Roadrunners, 6-2. The first inning began with one run for the Roadrunners, which quickly escalated to five runs in the second. Kennick then came up big in the fourth, as she hit a solo home run and then added another run with a single in the sixth inning.
Lake and sophomore outfielder Christine Desiderio each had two hits in the game, but the Lions’ offense could not match that of the Roadrunners.
This was especially true in the second game of the double-header, as the Roadrunners piled on the runs in a 14-1 victory that only lasted five innings. The first Roadrunner runs came in the first inning, as they began with a two-run first inning.
The score was 8-0 by the third inning, as the Lions’ bats were silenced by stellar Ramapo pitching. However, the Lions refused to allow it to be a complete shutout, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth. Kennick had singled and was soon sent home on a sacrifice fly from Utter. But it was not enough to start an effective comeback.
The last double-header of the week came against Kean University and ended in two more losses for the Lions — but these were closer games.
In the first game, the Lions came just short of a victory, falling 5-2 to the Cougars. As the Cougars put one run on the board in the first inning, the Lions caught right up in the next few innings. Lake had a solo home run to tie things up, but Kean came back in the next inning.
Desiderio then singled in the seventh and another run scored, but the Cougars got the win.
It was the same situation all over again in the next game, as the Lions fell 5-1 in the last game of the week. In the first inning, the Cougars scored three times, putting the Lions in 9-hole immediately. The only run from the Lions came in the seventh when Utter came home on a wild pitch.
The College is now 0-6 in the NJAC and 6-16 on the season.
This week, the Lions take on Rutgers-Camden University on Tuesday, April 8, and Montclair State University on Saturday, April 12.
