Stevens Softball Picks up First Win in Doubleheader Split at NJCU
Mark Becker
HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 23, 2013) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team picked up its first win of the 2013 season in splitting a doubleheader at New Jersey City University on Saturday afternoon. The Ducks jumped out to an early lead and held on for the 6-1 victory in Game One but a seventh-inning rally allowed the Gothic Knights to take Game Two, 3-2.
Stevens’ record improves to 1-11 this spring while NJCU gets back to .500 at 6-6.
Stevens 6, NJCU 1
The Ducks started slowly as they were sat down in order in the top of the first inning, while the Gothic Knights advanced runners to second and third before the bottom of the frame ended. Stevens nearly got on the board in the top of the second with the bases loaded but the Ducks would not put up their first run until the third inning, when freshman right fielder
Kelsey Dempsey (Broomfield, Colo.) doubled junior shortstop
Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) in for the 1-0 lead.
Stevens added two more runs in the top of the fourth as three leadoff singles loaded the bases with no outs for senior centerfielder
Lauren Hurley (Sparta, N.J.) who drove one home on a groundout while the other crossed the plate on a passed ball.
NJCU had runners on first and second base with no outs in the bottom of the fourth, but senior
Molly Herforth (Pompton Plains, N.J.) received some help from her infield to get out of trouble. Stevens put yet another runner on third in the fifth inning, but with two outs she would not be brought home. The Gothic Knights then executed their second double-steal of the game to move runners to second and third, but Herforth came up with a big strikeout to get out of the inning. NJCU would also load the bases in the next frame, but again would go scoreless.
The Ducks added to their lead in the top of the seventh inning. After loading the bases with no outs, a force out at home in the next at-bat kept Stevens off the board, but not for long as Herforth singled a run in and, following another home plate force out, DeFeo brought two more home on a single to make it 6-0.
NJCU did get one back in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but that would only make the final score 6-1 in favor of Stevens.
Sophomore first baseman
Nicole Mulligan (Staten Island, N.Y.), freshman second baseman
Sydney Spitz (Shelton, Conn.) and Herforth each recorded two hits for the Ducks, with Mulligan scoring once, Spitz walking once and scoring twice and Herforth also walking and scoring once while also driving a run home. DeFeo had the Ducks’ first multiple-RBI game of the season, bringing two runners home on a 1-4 day with one walk and a run scored. In the circle, Herforth surrendered just three hits and no earned runs while striking out five hitters.
Senior third baseman Rebecca Satz (Morris Plains, N.J.) was 2-3 to lead the Gothic Knights, while senior Ashley O’Beirne (Wood-Ridge, N.J.) gave up three earned runs on nine hits and six walks while striking out just one.
NJCU 3, Stevens 2
Game Two appeared to be playing out similarly, as Stevens got on the board in the second inning thanks to a Hurley triple and passed ball which gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead.
NJCU had several baserunners over the first four innings, but all reached via walks and hit-by-pitches and none advanced past second base as sophomore
Brianna Sandone (Haddon Township, N.J.) looked unhittable until the bottom of the fifth, when junior outfielder Casey Perez (West New York, N.J.) broke up the no-hit bid with a single to load the bases. Fortunately for the Ducks, Sandone forced a pop-up and Stevens still led 2-0 heading into the sixth. The Ducks were sat down in order, and NJCU nearly capitalized, loading the bases with two outs before a foul out ended the inning.
Stevens came right back to load the bases with two outs as well, but also came away without a run. This time, the Gothic Knights took advantage. A dropped fly ball allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base, and two batters later a home run by Satz tied the game at 2-2. NJCU quickly loaded the bases again with two outs, and a walk brought the game-winning run across the plate to seal the comeback.
DeFeo and Hurley each went 2-3 in the second game, with Hurley scoring once and knocking one run in while DeFeo tied her season high for assists in the field, with five. Sandone ended the day having allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out two.
Junior second baseman Maxine Kaminski (Kearny, N.J.) went 2-3 for the Gothic Knights while Satz did all her damage on her homer. Beirne evened her day at 1-1 with the win after allowing one earned run on six hits and four walks while striking out three.
Head Coach Erica Mehalick and the Ducks will host Ramapo College (5-5) in their home opener on Wednesday, March 27 at 3 p.m. to kick off a three-series homestand.