Game 7 - Box Score
Game 8 - Box Score
Game 9 - Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The William Paterson University softball team won its third straight game in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Saturday to advance to the final round. William Paterson defeated host Rowan University, 7-6. Earlier in the day, Rowan beat The College of New Jersey, 4-0 and Montclair State had a 2-0 victory over Ramapo College. Rowan, The College of New Jersey and Ramapo were all eliminated from the tournament.
The double elimination conference tournament continues at Rowan University on Sunday, May 3. Sixth seeded Montclair State (25-16) will face the second seed William Paterson (32-7) at noon. If Montclair State wins, a second game will be played between the two teams at 2:30 p.m. The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Game 7: #1 Rowan University 4, #3 The College of New Jersey 0 (TCNJ is eliminated.)
Rowan University, the top seed, shut out the third seed The College of New Jersey, 4-0 in an elimination game. The Profs have a 32-9 record while the Lions end the year with a 24-17 mark.
Right-hander Jackie Sasko (sr. Groveville, NJ/Steinert) pitched a complete game and only allowed two hits. Sasko (19-4) struck out six batters in her 12th shutout of the year. Righty Ashley Minervini (jr. Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) took the loss. Minervini gave up four runs, three earned and had four strikeouts.
Second baseman Jenna DiDonato (jr. Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) led the Profs with four hits in four at bats, two RBIs and one run scored. Left fielder Casey Roselle (so. Sparta, NJ/Sparta) contributed with one hit (three at bats) and one RBI. First baseman Nicki Veneziano (fr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) and right fielder Heidi Smith (jr. Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) each added one hit and one run scored. Center fielder Kristina Brenner (sr. Vineland, NJ/Vineland) scored one run.
For TCNJ, shortstop Ellen Seavers (jr. Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) and designated player Alex Sietsma (so. Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) both went one for three.
After four scoreless innings, Rowan went up 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, DiDonato singled to right center field. She moved to second on a ground out and advanced to third on catcher Steph Taraschi’s (jr. Mt. Ephraim, NJ/Audubon) single. DiDonato continued home on an error after the hit. The Profs tacked on three more runs in the sixth. Smith led off with a single and later came home on a fielder’s choice. DiDonato drove in two runs with a single to right field.
Game 8: #6 Montclair State University 2, #4 Ramapo College 0 (Ramapo is eliminated.)
The sixth seed, Montclair State University beat fourth seeded Ramapo College, 2-0 in an elimination game. The Red Hawks improve to 25-16, while the Roadrunners have a 26-11 record.
Right-hander Elia Persico (jr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) pitched a complete game for the win. Persico (5-2) only allowed three hits for her second shutout of the season. Righty Deanna Giordano (so. Clifton, NJ/Clifton) took the loss. Giordano (15-5) surrendered two runs, one earned, on six hits.
Montclair State was led by left fielder Adrian Rastocny (fr. Colonia, NJ/Colonia) with one hit (three at bats) and one RBI. Center fielder Leslie Gonzalez (so. N. Bergen, NJ/N. Bergen) added one RBI, while right fielder Kelly Nance (jr. Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) and second baseman Megan Durkin (jr. W. Orange, NJ/W. Orange) each scored once. Shortstop Shannon Mozek (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) and designated player Kelly Karp (sr. Edison, NJ/Edison) both went two for three at the plate.
For Ramapo, center fielder Katie Donnelly (jr. N. Haledon, NJ/Eastern Christian), third baseman Kelly Schriber (sr. Montclair, NJ/Mount St. Dominic) and right fielder Brittney McKeon (so. Toms River, NJ/Toms River N.) all had one hit in three at bats.
The Red Hawks scored one run in the first and second innings. Nance walked in the first inning and moved to third on a single by first baseman Amanda Livsey (jr. Congers, NY/Clarkstown N.). Rastocny’s single brought Nance home. In the second, Durkin led off with a walk and she went to second on an error. Durkin moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on an error with Gonzalez at bat.
Game : #2 William Paterson University 7, #1 Rowan University 6 (Rowan is eliminated.)
Second seeded William Paterson University came from behind to defeat the top seed Rowan University, 7-6. William Paterson has a 32-7 record. Rowan finishes the regular season with a 32-10 mark.
Rowan was ahead 6-3 heading into the top of the sixth inning. First baseman Ashlie Gaynor (so. Berlin, NJ/Eastern Reg.) led off the sixth with a double to right center field. Shortstop Lacey Santone (jr. S. Plainfield, NJ/S. Plainfield) followed a single that knocked in pinch runner Kerrie Mascarelli (so. Montvale, NJ/Pascack Hills), who took Gaynor’s place. Center fielder Christina Zippler (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Washington Twp.) had a RBI single. With the bases loaded, pitcher Michele Graham (fr. Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) hit into a fielder’s choice and third baseman Meghan Reilly (sr. Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) came home. Pinch hitter Linda Hahn (jr. Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded scoring Zippler, which proved to be the game-winning run.
William Paterson took a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Second baseman Lindsey Nadolny (so. Belford, NJ/Middletown N.) drove in one run with a double to left center field and pitcher Jenna Vitale (so. Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) had a RBI single. The Pioneers tacked one run in the third to go up, 3-0. Nadolny knocked in Zippler with a single. Rowan scored all six of its runs in the bottom half. Shortstop Ashley Minch (fr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) posted a three RBI double to left center field. Catcher Steph Taraschi’s (jr. Mt. Ephraim, NJ/Audubon) doubled plated Minch. Third baseman Julie Leskanic (fr. West Milford, NJ/West Milford) hit a double that scored Taraschi and she came home on a single by right fielder Heidi Smith (jr. Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.).
Graham pitched 4.1 innings in relief for the win. Graham (14-4) only allowed two hits and struck out three batters. Right-hander Jackie Sasko (sr. Groveville, NJ/Steinert) went the distance for the Profs. Sasko (19-5) gave up seven runs on 12 hits and recorded six strikeouts.
Nadolny was three for three with two RBIs, one run scored, a double and a triple. Zippler had two hits (four at bats), two runs scored, one RBI and a triple. Santone added two hits (four at bats), one RBI, one run scored and a double. Reilly was one for three with two runs scored.
For Rowan, Minch went one for four with three RBIs, one run scored and a double. Leskanic compiled two hits (three at bats), one RBI, one run scored and a double. Taraschi had one hit (three at bats), one RBI, one run scored and a double. Pinch runner Brit Evanick (fr. West Milford, NJ/West Milford), designated player Ashley Landi (so. Vineland, NJ/Vineland) and center fielder Kristina Brenner (sr. Vineland, NJ/Vineland) all scored once.
Tue,, April 28 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #1 Rowan 3, #6 Montclair State 0
Game 2: #2 William Paterson 3, #5 Kean 0
Game 3: #3 The College of NJ 2, #4 Ramapo 1 (8 inn.)
Fri., May 1 (Rowan University Softball Complex)
Game 4: #6 Montclair State 6, #5 Kean 0 (Kean is eliminated.)
Game 5: #4 Ramapo 3, #1 Rowan 0
Game 6: #2 William Paterson 14, #3 The College of NJ 6
Sat., May 2 (Rowan University Softball Complex)
Game 7: #1 Rowan 4, #3 The College of NJ 0 (TCNJ is eliminated.)
Game 8: #6 Montclair State 2, #4 Ramapo 0 (Ramapo is eliminated.)
Game 9: #2 William Paterson 7, #1 Rowan 6 (Rowan is eliminated.)
Sun., May 3 (Rowan University Softball Complex)
Game 10: #6 Montclair State (25-16) vs. #2 William Paterson (32-7), noon
Game 11: same teams as game 10 (if necessary), 2:30 p.m.
