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(04/04/07 4:00pm)
Junior pitcher Julianne Lajiness pitched two complete game wins, including a shutout against Ursinus College on Thursday.
The College traveled to Ursinus and walked away with the doubleheader split. Senior pitcher/infielder Jess Kohut's double to score freshman infielder Allyson Walsh in the top of the sixth inning was the only scoring needed as the Lions took the 1-0 win in the first game. Lajiness recorded the complete game shutout, scattering four hits while striking out six.
The Bears won the second game 4-2 on a big fourth inning. The College's senior infielder Tara Harrigan tripled and scored on freshman Danielle Hagel's groundout in the top of the fourth, but the Bears tapped the Lions for four runs in the bottom of the same inning. Senior outfielder Jen Hughes got one of the runs back in the sixth with an RBI single, but the Lions could not figure out Bears rookie pitcher Lauren Davis long enough to rally. Freshman Ashley Minervini fanned three batters in her six innings, and only one of the Bears' four runs was earned. Davis went the distance, striking out seven Lions while allowing only three hits.
The Lions stumbled against No. 12 Ramapo in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opener on Saturday.
The Roadrunners broke open a 1-1 tie to win the first game 5-1 before taking the nightcap 7-4. The Lions scored first on an RBI single up the middle by senior outfielder Katie Davenport in the third inning. Ramapo tied it up in the bottom of the fourth inning and knocked the College for four more runs in the fifth. Lajiness took the loss on the mound, falling to 6-1 on the season.
The Roadrunners broke the second game open in the bottom of the first to take a 5-0 lead and added another run in the second. Freshman infielder Rachel Greeby crushed her first collegiate home run - a two-run shot to center - to put the Lions on the scoreboard. They crossed the plate two more times in the fourth inning to close the gap to 6-4 on several Ramapo miscues. Hughes scored on a passed ball and Greeby scored on an error. Minervini suffered the loss to drop to 4-3. Senior Heather Hoffman pitched six innings of relief and allowed only two runs the rest of the way.
The College earned the doubleheader sweep over visiting Muhlenberg College on Wednesday, as it never trailed to take the first game 5-1 before rallying for the 8-5 win in the nightcap. The Mules stand at 4-12 overall.
Davenport fired a two-run home run to center - the first of her career - to put the Lions on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore utility player Taylor Cianciatta crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead to three runs before the Mules got one back in the top of the sixth.
Kohut and junior catcher Lauren Musacchia knocked run-scoring base hits in the bottom of the sixth to tack on two more runs and the Lions quickly shut down the Mules in the seventh for the final score. Lajiness hurled a complete game, allowing only three hits and striking out nine batters.
Hughes launched a three-run shot to center to put the Lions up 3-0 in the first inning of the second game, but the Mules offense woke up and crossed the plate four times in the top of the second inning. Mules senior outfielder Hilary Marinchak hit a bases-clearing triple, and Muhlenberg tacked on one more run that inning. The Mules added another in the third inning to take a 5-3 lead.
Hagel singled in Davenport in the bottom of the third to make it a one-run game before a big sixth inning propelled the Lions to the come-from-behind win. Davenport drove in two runs to put the College ahead for good and a Muhlenberg error let two more Lions cross the plate for the 8-5 final score.
Minervini pitched 4-2/3 innings of scoreless relief and was credited with the win. She also tied a career high with eight strikeouts.
The Lions are 10-6 overall and 0-2 in the NJAC, as of press time.
The College hosts Kean University in NJAC action on Saturday at 1 p.m.
(03/28/07 4:00pm)
Strong hitting and continued great pitching lifted the softball team over visiting Salisbury University 10-5 on Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader before dropping a 2-0 decision in the nightcap. The split, following another day victory and night loss against Haverford College, pushed the Lions' record to 7-2 on the young season.
The common thread in the team's wins is explosive offense. The Lions scored three times in the bottom of the first inning in the early game against the Sea Gulls. Junior utility player Christina Lizzi got the scoring started with an RBI double and then crossed the plate herself as freshman utility player Danielle Hagel grounded out. Senior center fielder Jen Hughes got on base to set up junior catcher Lauren Musacchia's RBI base hit.
The Lions added four more runs in the second inning before Sea Gulls junior third baseman Kurisha Hoffman hit a home run in the third inning. Senior right fielder Kristin Boyer belted a home run of her own, a two-run shot to right field, to push the score to 9-1 in the bottom of the third. Boyer's two hits in the game pushed her career mark over the 100-hit plateau.
Lions senior second baseman Tara Harrigan added a solo shot, her first home run of the season.
The Sea Gulls tried to make a comeback run as they added four runs over the final three innings, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Lions offense. Senior pitcher Julianne Lajiness was credited with the win and improved to 4-0 on the season. Freshman Ashley Minervini registered the save.
Harrigan broke up Salisbury's no-hit bid with a two-out double, but the Lions could not string together enough hits to overcome the 2-0 deficit. The Sea Gulls scored a run in the top of the first and added another in the fourth inning.
"Both games, we had great pitching from Julie (Lajiness) and Ashley (Minervini)," head coach Sally Miller said. "There was no difference in pitching, we just didn't come out hitting in the second game."
The College hosted Haverford on Saturday in doubleheader action. The Lions took the first game 6-5 in extra innings before dropping the second game 7-3. After shutting down the Fords in the top of the eighth, Harrigan's second squeeze bunt of the game scored sophomore outfielder Alaine Boccafola for the win.
The Lions opened the scoring first with a pair of runs in the first inning. Boyer got on base on a walk and crossed the plate on a Lizzi triple. Lizzi came home on a Hughes double to take a 2-0 lead. Musacchia made it a three-run game with a solo home run to left center in the third inning.
Haverford freshman outfielder Cassandra Searls hit a two-run home run in the third and freshman catcher/third baseman Taylor Zavasky singled in a run to lock the game at three.
Harrigan's squeeze bunt in the fourth inning scored freshman infielder Rachel Greeby for the lead. That did not last as the Fords scored two runs in the fifth inning to take their first lead of the game. Boyer's RBI double to score Musacchia forced extra innings.
Musacchia finished 4-for-4 in the first game and Minervini pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts to improve to 3-0.
Haverford's 5-1 advantage in the nightcap was too much to overcome, as the Lions dropped the 7-3 decision. Haverford junior second baseman Allison Frank hit a solo home run to center in the top of the first inning to put the Fords on the scoreboard to start. Hughes singled home Boyer in the bottom of the inning to tie it up, but the Fords opened up the 5-1 lead with two runs each in the second and third innings.
Hughes hit another RBI single in the fourth inning to score Harrigan. Harrigan added a RBI of her own later in the inning, a double to score senior pitcher/infielder Jess Kohut. Haverford plated two more runs in the fifth to seal the game.
Senior Heather Hoffman took the loss on the mound for the Lions.
"The biggest thing in the second game was a defensive breakdown," Miller said. The Lions recorded three errors in the loss.
"(Haverford is) a scrappy team," Miller added. "I knew they would hit the ball and attack and that's exactly what they did."
The Lions return to action today at 2:30 p.m. when they host Muhlenberg College. They travel to Ursinus College tomorrow for a 3 p.m. contest and open up New Jersey Athletic Conference play at Ramapo College on Saturday at 1 p.m. Drew University comes to town on Sunday at 1 p.m.
(03/21/07 4:00pm)
Timely hitting and solid pitching led the softball team to a 5-1 record over spring break. The Lions traveled to the College of Staten Island for its season opener before traveling to Salem, Va., for the Ferrum Invitational.
The Lions wrapped up Spring Break on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep of the Shenandoah University Hornets and hosted the Ferrum College Panthers. A four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth erased a 4-1 deficit while senior pitcher Julianne Lajiness pitched one shutout inning in relief to seal a 5-4 victory over Shenandoah in the first game.
Senior Jen Hughes belted a three-run home run in the second inning to lead the Lions over the Panthers 5-0 in the nightcap. Hughes also knocked out two doubles in her 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Lajiness held Ferrum to only two hits while striking out four.
The College split its games on Saturday, as it came from behind to beat the Wasps of Emory & Henry College 3-2 before dropping an 8-3 decision to the La Roche College Redhawks. Freshman utility player Danielle Hagel's two-run double in the sixth was the winning hit as the Lions held on for the 3-2 score. Lajiness registered a complete game and struck out eight.
The Lions shut out the College of Staten Island in the season opener on March 13. Hagel led off the top of the third with a solo home run that proved to be the game-winning hit in the Lions' 1-0 win. The shot off the scoreboard in left field was also Hagel's first collegiate at-bat. Lajiness was spectacular on the mound, hurling a no-hitter through six innings. She fanned five while giving up only one walk.
Lajiness earned New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors after pitching 22 scoreless innings for a 3-0 record with one save.
The Lions put on a hitting clinic against the Dolphins in the second game, as they pounded out 16 hits in the 14-3 win. Hagel singled in two runs to get the scoring started in the top of the second inning. A Staten Island error followed by junior Christina Lizzi's triple pushed the score to 4-0. The score went to 6-0 in the third before the Dolphins put three unearned runs on the board to cut the lead. That was the closest they got, as the Lions posted a seven-run sixth inning on four straight run-scoring doubles.
Freshman infielder Allyson Walsh knocked out her first collegiate hit - a two-run double - to spark the seventh inning explosion. Hughes belted out two doubles in the inning to go 2-for-3 in the game. Lizzi was a home run shy of the cycle with two RBIs. Hagel shined in the second game as well with a 4-for-5 performance with four RBIs. Minervini threw three innings of scoreless relief to pick up her first collegiate win.
The Lions return to action today at Ursinus College at 2:30 p.m. They return to Ewing on Saturday to host Haverford College at 11 a.m. and the University of Rochester at 1 p.m.
(02/28/07 5:00pm)
The women's basketball team sent Montclair State University packing for the second straight year in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoffs, but fell to eventual NJAC champion Kean University in the semifinal round last week. The Lions finished their season with a 13-14 record.
The College fell to Kean 79-68 in the semifinal last Thursday. The Lions held on with the Cougars through the first period and were down only 29-27 at the half.
The College shot 40 percent in the first half while holding Kean to only 26.3 percent. Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the second half, but the Cougars pulled away by outscoring the Lions 50-41.
Senior guard Ebony Allen led Kean with a 10-for-12 showing from the floor with 21 points, and junior guard Melissa Beyruti netted five threes and finished with 17 points.
Sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz led the Lions with 13 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Nicole Diaz chipped in a career-high 11 points.
Junior guard/forward Sara Best and freshman center Alexandra Gregorek added 10 points each, while Best pulled down 11 boards for her third double-double of the season.
Head coach Dawn Henderson and her team knew they had a challenge when they went up to Kean last Thursday.
Besides playing without senior forward Breanne Depken due to illness, the Cougars had a 3-0 advantage in the contests between the teams this season.
"They are a very talented team," Henderson said. "They have quick guards and four or five big strong players on the inside."
Despite the Cougars' size and quickness, the Lions kept the semifinal game close.
"We did admirably. The kids played really hard, (but) we just played a better team," Henderson said.
Klimowicz posted her second straight double-double, 19 points and 10 boards, as the Lions crushed the Red Hawks 60-39 in the first round of the NJAC playoffs last Tuesday night. Montclair finished its season at 15-10.
The Red Hawks scored the game's first basket, but the Lions responded with a 10-0 run sparked by six points from Klimowicz.
Montclair got back within three before the College responded with an 11-0 run to put the score at 23-9 with 8:27 left in the first half. The College took a 25-14 lead into the locker room.
The Lions netted the first eight points in the second half to put them in full control of the game.
Depken had 12 points, seven rebounds and a career-high eight steals. Best added eight points and nine boards, while Diaz netted seven points.
The Lions held defending NJAC Player of the Year, senior forward Stephanie Machin, to only three points, while holding all Red Hawks players under double digits in scoring.
The Red Hawks shot an abysmal 18.2 percent for the game, while the Lions hit 39.2 percent of their shots. Freshman guard Jackie Berry led Montclair with seven points.
The Lions flourish in the underdog role, as this marked the second year in a row they sent the Red Hawks home early as the lower seed. The College won that contest 49-43, also in Montclair's Panzer Gym.
Klimowicz was named to the NJAC First Team, while Best was given an Honorable Mention nod. Klimowicz led the team with an average of 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and finished with a team-leading 336 points this season. She also registered 76 blocked shots and shot 81 percent from the free-throw line. Best averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 boards per game. She was second on the team in scoring with 236 points and third in steals with 42.
(02/21/07 5:00pm)
The women's basketball team jumped out to a 13-1 lead early in the first half on its way to a 71-52 win over Rutgers University-Camden on Senior Night last Wednesday. With the victory, the Lions finished the season at 12-13 overall and 7-6 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).
Both teams struggled offensively at the outset, but a basket at the 16:30 mark sparked a 13-1 run to put the Lions in firm control of the game.
Sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz netted 12 of her 16 points to pace the Lions to its 34-22 halftime lead.
The Scarlet Raptors never challenged in the second half, as the Lions cruised to the final 71-52 score. With losses to the College and to Kean University on Saturday, Rutgers-Camden finished its season at 8-16 overall and 2-10 in the NJAC.
In addition to her 16 points, Klimowicz grabbed 11 rebounds for the double-double and had five blocks. Sophomore guard Alyssa Michella netted a career-high 11 points off the bench and junior guard/forward Sara Best added 10 points.
All four seniors contributed on Senior Night. Forward Breanne Depken dropped in five points and pulled down four rebounds, while guard/forward Megan Hueter added four points. Guard Margo Buchalski added a basket and guard Latissa Watson dished out an assist and pulled down two boards.
This was the final regular-season game for the seniors, who were honored prior to the game. The senior players have won two NJAC championships so far and are looking to make it a third.
The College faced second-seeded Montclair State University last night. The playoff game was played after The Signal went to press.
The College last faced Montclair on Dec. 9 and lost 59-47. However, head coach Dawn Henderson liked her team's chances this time around.
"We are a way different team than we were (back then)," Henderson said. "We've been playing better and better lately. Our defense has been strong all season and our offense is coming along now."
Henderson credits the improved play of the guards, who have been putting up more outside shots. She also has confidence in her inside players to limit Montclair's senior forward Stephanie Machin, the defending NJAC Player of the Year. Machin is averaging 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Henderson also praised Klimowicz, who has posted three double-doubles in the past three weeks and blocked 17 shots in just the last three games. Klimowicz registered eight of those 17 in the College's upset win over Richard Stockton College.
Don't count the Lions out despite a 7-6 conference record in the regular season. "We're putting it together at the right time," Henderson said.
The winner of this game advances to play Kean in the semifinal round tomorrow at 7 p.m., while the winner of the first-round game between Rutgers-Newark and Stockton advances to play William Paterson. The championship game will be held at the highest remaining seed on Saturday.
(02/21/07 5:00pm)
TUESDAY, 10:30 p.m. -- Sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz posted her second double-double - 19 points and 10 boards - in as many games as the women's basketball team crushed Montclair State University 60-39 in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoffs on Tuesday night. With the win, the third-seeded Lions advance to the conference semifinals to play top-seeded Kean University in Union, N.J., on Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Red Hawks scored the game's first basket, but the Lions responded with a 10-0 run sparked by six points from Klimowicz. Montclair got back within three before the College responded with an 11-0 run to put the score at 23-9 with 8:27 left in the first half. The College took a 25-14 lead into the locker room.
The Lions netted the first eight points in the second half to put them in full control of the game.
Senior forward Breanne Depken netted 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and tallied a career-high eight steals. Junior guard/forward Sara Best added eight points and nine boards, while sophomore guard Nicole Diaz netted seven points.
The Lions held defending NJAC Player of the Year senior Stephanie Machin to only three points, while holding all Red Hawks under double digits in scoring. The Red Hawks shot an abysmal 18.2 percent for the game, while the Lions hit 39.2 percent of their shots. Freshman guard Jackie Berry led Montclair with seven points.
The Lions flourish in the underdog role, as this marked the second year in a row they sent the Red Hawks home early as the lower seed. The College won that contest 49-43, also in Montclair's Panzer Gym.
(02/14/07 5:00pm)
The women's basketball team won both of its contests this week, including a huge upset win over Richard Stockton College and a comeback victory over Rowan University, to secure third place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) South Division and a berth in the NJAC Tournament. With the wins, the Lions improve to 11-13 overall and 6-6 in the NJAC.
The team will travel to either Rutgers University-Newark or Montclair State University for the opening round of the tournament on Tuesday.
Junior guard/forward Sara Best put together a double-double on Saturday to help lift the College over Rowan 68-53 in Glassboro. Best netted a game-high 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to tie her career high, ensuring the Lions a playoff spot.
The Lions started off slow as they had 12 turnovers and were down 29-26 after the first half. A 10-0 run out of the locker room turned the game around and the Lions dominated in the second half. Best and freshman guard Karen Lassoni netted four points apiece and senior forward Breanne Depken also added a basket in the surge.
The Profs battled back to within a basket, but a 12-3 Lions run put the College up by 11 points with 6:37 remaining. Two Best free throws with six seconds remaining gave the Lions the 15-point win, their largest lead of the game. "We didn't play too well (in the first half), but we came out more focused in the second half," head coach Dawn Henderson said.
In addition to Best's game-high 16 points, sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz added 11. Depken scored nine points and pulled down a game-high 12 boards. The Lions out-rebounded the Profs 50-37.
Stockton fell out of a first-place tie with Kean University thanks to the College's 59-33 upset win last Wednesday night in Packer Hall. The Lions also snapped the Ospreys' seven-game winning streak. Missing eight of their first nine field goal attempts did not deter the Lions, who woke up offensively to take a 24-16 lead at the half. The College also held Richard Stockton to a 25 percent shooting effort in the first half.
Klimowicz and her high school teammate, sophomore Jenn Russell of Richard Stockton, each led their respective teams in the first half. Klimowicz netted five points for the Lions, while Russell netted five for the Ospreys. Stockton junior guard Michele Auerbacher also added five of her team-high eight points in the first half. Best pulled down eight of her game-high 10 rebounds in the first session for the Lions.
The second half only got better for the Lions, as they shot 44.1 percent while holding Stockton to a dismal 17.2 shooting percentage en route to the 59-33 final tally.
Klimowicz led the Lions with a game-high 11 points, eight rebounds and eight blocks. Best finished with nine points along with her 10 boards. Auerbacher led Stockton with eight points and senior Lisa Neira added six.
"We played very well from start to finish against Stockton," Henderson said. "We shared the ball well, got a lot of assists."
The Lions dished out 18 assists, compared to the Ospreys' six. Sophomore guard Lisa Koch led with five, while Klimowicz and Lassoni dished out three apiece.
Stockton is 8-4 in the NJAC after losses to the College on Wednesday and first-place Kean on Saturday. The Ospreys clinched the No. 2 seed for the NJAC Tournament.
While the NJAC South Division standings are in place already, the tournament pairings are still unknown because the NJAC North standings have not been settled. William Paterson locked up the top spot with a 10-2 conference record, while Montclair and Rutgers-Newark will duke it out for second place. They hold identical 8-3 NJAC records. Montclair visits Ramapo tonight at 6 p.m., while Rutgers-Newark travels to William Paterson at 6 p.m.
The Ospreys will be paired with the third-place team in the NJAC North, while the Lions will face the second-place team.
The Lions host Rutgers University-Camden at Packer Hall tonight at 6 p.m. for the final regular-season game. The first round of the NJAC Tournament is next Tuesday at 7 p.m., with the winners of the first round games advancing to face the No. 1 seeds on Thursday at 7 p.m.
(02/07/07 5:00pm)
The women's basketball team swarmed Ramapo College but still could not unlock the combination to beat first-place Kean University in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action.
The Lions stand at 9-13 for the season and 4-6 in the NJAC.
With one win this week or a Rutgers University-Camden loss, the Lions can clinch a berth in the NJAC Tournament, slated to begin on Feb. 20.
Senior forward Breanne Depken netted 12 points and sophomore center Hillary Klimowicz added 10 to lead the College to an 80-50 win over visiting Ramapo.
The victory snapped a four-game losing skid for the Lions, and their 80 points marked the highest point total of the season.
Klimowicz grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked six shots in addition to her 10 points. Freshman guard Erin Drulis added nine points, while freshman center Alexandra Gregorek had eight points and four rebounds. Senior guard Margo Buchalski also added eight points.
The Lions jumped out to a 34-22 halftime lead that the Roadrunners never challenged the rest of the way.
The sharp-shooting of Ramapo senior guard Kelly Bartz was not enough to overcome the team's shooting deficit, as it was held to a 23-percent showing from the field. Bartz netted a game-leading 17 points, including four baskets from beyond the arc. The Lions also forced 25 turnovers in the game.
The Roadrunners are 5-16 overall and still winless in the NJAC at 0-9.
The Lions had no answer to the Cougars as they lost 68-59. The contest was back-and-forth for much of the first period, with the College holding on to a small lead for the first 11 minutes.
Kean took the lead on a three-pointer at the 8:25 mark, but back-to-back layups by Klimowicz sent the Lions on a 7-0 run to regain a lead the Lions would take to the locker room.
The College could not extend its 28-27 halftime lead, and the Cougars went ahead for good on a three-pointer at 10:17. The bucket triggered a 9-1 run for the Cougars, who extended their lead to 10 with less than four minutes remaining. The Lions could not overcome the deficit and dropped their third contest to the Cougars this season.
Klimowicz led the Lions with 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five blocks. Freshman guard Nicole Diaz added eight points and three rebounds, while sophomore guard Alyssa Michella had five points and seven rebounds.
In non-conference action on Monday night, the Lions dropped a heartbreaking 49-47 decision to visiting Marymount University. Neither team could get its shooting rhythm going in the first period, as the Lions made only 7 of 37 attempts, including only 1-of-14 from three-point range. The Saints were only 7-of-24 from the field. The first half also featured a combined 24 turnovers.
Marymount held a 20-15 advantage at the half and extended that lead to 25-18 before the College went on a 9-0 run to go ahead. The rest of the game was back-and-forth, featuring nine lead changes and seven tied scores.
Down 49-47 with five seconds remaining, the Lions got the ball to junior guard/forward Sara Best, who netted a basket that would not count, as it came a second after the final buzzer.
Best led the College with 10 points and six rebounds, while Gregorek added nine points.
Fans were asked to wear pink during the game to support breast cancer research. Fans who wore pink received free admission while the cost of their ticket was donated to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
The College sits in third place in the NJAC South Division at 4-6 and the top three teams in each division - North and South - compete in the tournament from which the winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Lions return to action as they host the Ospreys of Richard Stockton College tonight at 6 p.m. and visit the Rowan University Profs on Saturday at 3 p.m.