By Joseph Caruso
Sports Editor
The College’s softball team won two of their four contests this week, besting Ramapo twice and dropping both games against No. 19 ranked Stockton.
On Saturday, the College traveled to Mahwah for their first of four straight road games, aiming to defeat Ramapo and get back on track after their two extra-inning losses to a tough Rowan squad.
Junior Maya Knasiak was back on the mound, looking to bounce back after her scoreless inning streak finally came to an end. Unsurprisingly, she tossed seven scoreless innings and added an RBI at the plate.
The game was locked scoreless for the first four innings, until senior Gianna Vazquez came through at the plate with an RBI single up the middle.
In the top of the sixth, Knasiak wanted more insurance for herself so she sent a ball over the fence in right field, doubling the Lions lead. Knasiak allowed just two hits in the shutout victory, as the College hung on to win 2-0 in the first game of the doubleheader.
In the second game, it was senior Elizabeth Gosse’s turn on the bump, and she followed up in spectacular fashion, tossing a complete game of her own, allowing just one run.
The College got on the board right away, thanks to an RBI single from sophomore Grace Brouillard to open the game in the first inning. The Lions added an extra run in the first when senior Olivia Santos stole home to make it 2-0.
Gosse allowed her only run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Lions sealed the deal with an RBI double from freshman Emily Evans, securing the win 3-1 and the double-header sweep.
The College now sat 10 games over .500 after their victories over Ramapo, and looked to continue their winning ways when they traveled to Galloway to face off against No. 19 ranked Stockton.
The Lions jumped out early, scoring two runs in the top of the first thanks to a two run double from Morgan Leonhauser.
With Knasiak on the mound, the College felt good about their chances as they went into the fourth still holding the two run lead.
However, Stockton would get to the Lions ace, scoring in each of the final three innings, and knocking Knasiak out of the game before the sixth inning came to a close, as the College fell 4-2.
In the latter half of the double header, Stockton jumped ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the second, but a third inning explosion was in store for the Lions, scoring five runs capped off by an RBI double from freshman Dani Biggio.
Unfortunately, the Lions 5-1 did not last very long, as Stockton matched their five run inning with a five run inning of their own in the bottom of the third, reclaiming the lead and ending Gosse’s day after just three innings.
The College responded yet again in the top of the fourth with two more runs thanks to a two-run shot from Knasiak, catapulting them back in front, before the Ospreys answered back in the bottom of the inning snatching the lead back one last time.
The Lions did not have another comeback in them, and suffered the heartbreaking defeat 9-7, getting swept in the double header.
It was an encouraging performance nonetheless, as the College still sits at 19-11 with just six games remaining in the season, all against New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents. They are back in action for their senior day, hosting Kean on Saturday, April 18.
