Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Montclair State University softball team won 4-2 against The College of New Jersey in the second round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Saturday.
The Red Hawks, the second seed, are 39-3 overall while the third seeded Lions have a 26-12 record. Montclair State plays the top seed Rowan University on Saturday at 10 a.m. TCNJ drops to the losers bracket and meets Kean University at noon.
In the other second round games, Rowan defeated the fifth seed Richard Stockton College, 6-3 and the sixth seed Kean had a 5-1 win over the fifth seed William Paterson University. It was the second loss for the Ospreys and the Pioneers in the conference tournament and they were eliminated.
Rowan is the host for the NJAC Championship Tournament that continues on Saturday-Sunday, May 4-5. Tickets are: $5 for adults and $2 for students with ID, senior citizens and children. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Right-hander Alex Hill (jr. Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany Hills) was the winning pitcher. She scattered seven hits and gave up two earned runs. Lefty Ashtin Helmer (fr. Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) had the loss. In 4.1 innings, she allowed six hits and four earned runs.
MSU designated player Melany Zeller (so. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) recorded two doubles and three RBIs. First baseman Tara Petrucelli (so. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) was one for four with one RBI and one run scored. Catcher Alisha Cumberton (jr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) added one hit and one run scored. Center fielder Jaime Paulino (sr. Linden, NJ/Linden) scored one run.
For TCNJ, center fielder Liz Huttner (sr. Princeton Jct., NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro S.) registered two doubles in three at bats. Catcher Jamie Purcell (fr. Nutley, NJ/Mount St. Dominic Academy) went one for three with one RBI. Designated player Nicole Brodbeck (jr. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) contributed with two hits (three at bats), a double and one RBI.
Both teams scored one run in the first inning. Purcell singled in the Lions’ run in the top half while in the bottom, Paulino scored on a fielder’s choice with Petrucelli at bat. Montclair State led 3-1 after two runs in the third. Zeller drove in Petrucelli and Cumberton with a double. TCNJ had one run in the fourth inning. Brodbeck posted a RBI double. The Red Hawks’ final run came in the fifth with a RBI double by Zeller.
The NJAC Softball Championship Tournament schedule is below. Results and the updated schedule for the conference tournament will be available at rowanathletics.com and njacsports.com.
Tue., April 30 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #1 Rowan University 3, #6 Kean University 1
Game 2: #2 Montclair State University 4, #5 William Paterson University 2
Game 3: #3 The College of New Jersey 3, #4 Richard Stockton College 0
Fri., May 3 (Rowan University Softball Field)
Game 4: #6 Kean University 5, #5 William Paterson University 1 (William Paterson eliminated)
Game 5: #1 Rowan University 6, #4 Richard Stockton College 3 (Richard Stockton eliminated)
Game 6: #2 Montclair State University 4, vs. #3 The College of New Jersey 2
Sat., May 4 (Rowan University Softball Field)
Game 7: #1 Rowan University (37-5) vs. #2 Montclair State University (39-3), 10 a.m.
Game 8: #6 Kean University (25-16-1) vs. #3 The College of New Jersey (26-13), noon
Game 9: loser game 7 vs. winner game 8, 2 p.m.
Sun., May 5 (Rowan University Softball Field)
Game 10: winner game 7 vs. winner game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11: same teams as game 10 (if necessary), TBA
