By Joseph Caruso
Sports Editor
The College’s softball team kicked off New Jersey Athletic Conference play, winning four straight games against Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden, respectively.
Returning from their successful South Carolina trip, the College had their first pair of home games against Rutgers-Newark in a double-header on Sunday.
Happy to be back at Dr. June Walker Field, the Lions came out scorching hot, scoring ten runs in the first two innings of action. In a well-balanced scoring attack, the Lions saw six different batters account for their nine runs batted in.
On the mound, junior Maya Knasiak continued her dominance, tossing five scoreless innings en route to her eighth victory of the season, recording just one loss in the process. The Lions defeated Rutgers-Newark in just five innings, decimating them 10-0 in the opening game of the double-header.
In the second game, the Lions scored in each of the first two innings, including an RBI from Knasiak, in a stellar two-way performance from the junior that saw her record a two-inning save.
Despite being just 1-12, Rutgers-Newark put together a gritty performance trailing by just one before Knasiak shut the door to secure the 4-3 victory for the Lions.
On Tuesday, the College hosted Rutgers-Camden for another home double-header, looking to extend their win streak.
Rutgers-Camden came in with a respectable 6-6 record, looking to upset the Lions. With that being said, the College came out on fire pouring on nine runs in the fourth inning alone, obliterating the pitching from Rutgers-Camden en route to a 12-0 route for their third straight NJAC victory.
Knasiak’s unfathomable season from the mound continues, recording her tenth win to the tune of a ridiculous 0.41 earned run average on the year, all the while having a 1.185 on base plus slugging percentage.
Freshman Emily Evans along with senior Morgan Estelow each chipped in two RBIs in the dominant victory.
In the second game, senior Elizabeth Gosse threw a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings. On the offensive side, Evans had another multi-RBI game, as the College completed their double-header sweep, completely shutting down Rutgers-Camden and winning 8-0.
It was a dominant first week of conference play from the College, out-scoring both Rutgers schools by a score of 34-3 over the course of four games, continuing to get great hitting while seeing the pitching hitting their stride as well.
Coach Sally Miller, now in her 30th year at the College, continues to run an extremely successful program with yet another amazing season brewing for the Lions. Now with a 4-0 start in the NJAC, the College will look to hold strong, as they have to play six of their next eight games on the road.
They are back in action on the road on Saturday, April 4, against William Paterson University.
