Box Score
MAHWAH, NJ – The William Paterson University softball team ended Rowan University’s season with an 8-3 win at the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament First Round on Sunday. The first round of the national tournament was held at Ramapo College, May 7-10.
#2 William Paterson University (35-8) faces #1 Messiah College (38-4) at 2 p.m. in the final round. The Pioneers would have to beat the Falcons twice to advance to the national finals on Friday-Tuesday, May 15-19 at the Montclair State University Softball Stadium. In the first round, Messiah defeated William Paterson, 4-2 on Saturday. The national softball tournament is double elimination.
Rowan, the third seed, finishes the year with a 35-12 record. It was the Profs’ 18th appearance and second straight in the NCAA tournament. The softball team opened the first round with a 7-1 victory over Farmingdale State (May 7) then a loss to William Paterson, 2-1 (May 8). Rowan had wins against Eastern Connecticut State, 3-1 (May 9) and Farmingdale State, 3-0 (May 9).
Righty Kerrie Mascarelli (so. Montvaile, NJ/Pascack Hills) pitched four scoreless relief innings for the win on the mound. Mascarelli (10-0) scattered five hits and had four strikeouts. Right-hander Amanda Singer (so. Monmouth Jct., E. Brunswick) suffered the loss. In three innings, Singer (14-7) gave up nine hits and seven runs, six earned.
Center fielder Christina Zippler (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Washington Twp.) led the Pioneers with three hits (four at bats), three RBIs, three runs scored and a home run. Designated player Jenna Vitale (so. Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) was two for four with three RBIs and a double. Third baseman Meghan Reilly (sr. Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) added two hits in four at bats and two runs scored. Right fielder Jillian Mulderig (so. Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) went three for three at the plate with a double and she scored one run.
For the Profs, first baseman Nicki Veneziano (fr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) compiled four hits in four at bats, one RBI, two runs scored, a double and a home run. Second baseman Jenna DiDonato (jr. Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) was one for four with one RBI, one run scored and a home run. Shortstop Ashley Minch (fr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) added one RBI. Right fielder Heidi Smith (jr. Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.), third baseman Julie Leskanic (fr. West Milford, NJ/West Milford), left fielder Casey Roselle (so. Sparta, NJ/Sparta) and pinch hitter Jamie Parks (jr. Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) all had one hit. Veneziano and Leskanic were named to the All-Tournament team.
The score was tied at two after the first inning. In the top half, Vitale’s double scored Reilly and Zippler. Rowan had back-to-back home runs by Veneziano and DiDonato in the bottom of the first. The Pioneers took the lead 5-2 with three runs in the second inning. Zippler recorded a three RBI homer.
Both teams scored one run in the third. Left fielder Heather Mendez (so. Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) got on base with a double and later crossed the plate on an error. Veneziano had a double to center field. She moved to third on an out and came home on a sacrifice fly by Minch.
William Paterson went on to score one run in the fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth, Vitale drove in the run with a single. Catcher Nicole Jimmerson (so. North Bergen, NJ/High Tech) plated Zippler with a single to right center field in the sixth.
The NCAA All-Tournament team is below:
Catcher: Junior Abby Bergakker (Grand Rapids, MI) - Messiah College
First base: Freshman Nicki Veneziano (Bloomfield, NJ) - Rowan University
Second base: Senior Kelly Finlay (Thomaston, CT) - Eastern Connecticut
Third base: Senior Meghan Reilly (Middlesex, NJ) - William Paterson
Shortstop: Freshman Lauren Seneca (Bethlehem, PA) - Messiah College
Outfield: Junior Christina Zippler (Blackwood, NJ) - William Paterson
Outfield: Freshman Priscilla Alicea (Stratford, CT) - Eastern Connecticut
Outfield: Freshman Jaclyn Merkel (Linthicum, MD) - Messiah College
Pitcher: Freshman Jessica Rhoads (Dillsburg, PA) - Messiah College
Pitcher: Freshman Michele Graham (Hawthorne, NJ) - William Paterson
Designated Player: Freshman Ashley Lehman (Lancaster, PA) - Messiah College
At Large: Senior Rachel Denny (East Haddam, CT) - Eastern Connecticut
At Large: Sophomore Jenna Vitale (Kenilworth, NJ) - William Paterson
At Large: Freshman Julie Leskanic (West Milford, NJ) - Rowan University
At Large: Sophomore Arielle Morelli (Bohemia, NY) - Farmingdale State
The schedule and results for the first round games are:
Thursday, May 7
Game 1: #1 Messiah College 4, #8 College of Staten Island 0
Game 2: #4 Moravian College 4, vs. #5 Eastern Connecticut State 1
Game 3: #3 Rowan University 7, vs. #6 Farmingdale State 1
Game 4: #2 William Paterson University (32-7) vs. #7 Muhlenberg College (19-16) - suspended
Friday, May 8
Game 4: #2 William Paterson University 9, #7 Muhlenberg College 2
Game 5: #5 Eastern Connecticut State 7, #8 College of Staten Island 0 (CSI eliminated)
Game 6: #6 Farmingdale State 4, #7 Muhlenberg College 1 (Muhlenberg eliminated)
Game 7: #1 Messiah College 3, #4 Moravian College 0
Game 8: #2 William Paterson University 2, #3 Rowan University 1
Saturday, May 9
Game 9: #6 Farmingdale State 3, #4 Moravian College 1 (Moravian eliminated)
Game 10: #3 Rowan University 3, #5 Eastern Connecticut State 1 (ECS eliminated)
Game 11: #1 Messiah College 4, #2 William Paterson University 2
Game 12: #3 Rowan University 3, #6 Farmingdale State 0 (Farmingdale eliminated)
Sunday, May 10
Game 13: #2 William Paterson University 8, #3 Rowan University 3 (Rowan eliminated)
Game 14: #1 Messiah College (38-4) #2 William Paterson University (35-8), 2 p.m.
Monday, May 11
Game 15: necessary only if winner of game 13 defeats winner of game 11 in game 14, TBA
