Mahwah, NJ:  The College of New Jersey defeated the Ramapo College softball team today 7-1 in the opening round of the 2016 NJAC Softball Tournament. The Lions improve to 27-13 overall while the Roadrunners now stand at 21-14 overall.
 
The tournament will now moved to Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. The Roadrunners will now take on #1 Rowan on Friday at 1:00pm. The Lions advance to take on the winner of #2 Stockton University and #5 Rutgers-Camden University at Rowan on Friday 3:00pm.
 
TCNJ scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning aided by two Ramapo errors to take a 3-0 lead. In the third inning, Jamie Purcell led off the inning with a double before being lifted for pinch runner Nicole Cerda. Jess Santelli then hit a two-run home run before Kirsten Fitzsimmons drove home Francesca Pugliese with a double for a 6-0 lead. The Lions added one run in fifth inning when Deanna Utter drove home Danielle Marino to extend the TCNJ lead 7-0.
 
Ramapo scored their lone run in the top of the seventh inning. Back-to-back walks to Ally Spellman and pinch hitter Shannon Cox started the inning before Danielle Saportio re-entered for Cox. Both runners moved up one base on a wild pitch before Mikayla Melendez ripped a double to center field plating Spellman. TCNJ got out of the jam recording the final two outs without letting another run to score.
 
Sam Platt (16-3) earned the complete game win for TCNJ with two strikeouts and six walks while she scattered five hits.
 
Christina Brizek (12-5) took the loss for the Roadrunners with three walks while she scattered six hits and six runs (three earned). Spellman was the long Roadrunners that had a multi-hit game going 2-2 with one run scored.