Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College softball team won a pair of one run games against NJAC rival Montclair State University 4-3 in game one and 8-7 in game two. The Roadrunners improve to 25-7 overall, 15-1 in the NJAC while the Red Hawks fall to 20-16 overall and 7-9 in the conference.
Game 1: The Roadrunners, who are ranked #21 in the latest NFCA Top 25 Poll, came back to defeat the Red Hawks in game one 4-3 with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. MSU scored one run in the top of the first inning when Kaylee Powers led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a bunt single from Noel Hodgins. Following the first out of the inning, Powers stole third base before Elena Radesich drove her home with an infield ground out for a 1-0 lead.
Ramapo came back to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning.
Jackie Howarth ripped a two-out RBI single to right-center field scoring
Nicole Hernandez from second base. Hernandez reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning. MSU extended their lead to 3-1 when they scored one run in the fourth and fifth innings. Victoria Gehring hit a RBI double in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead while Powers came home on a wild pitch in the fifth inning for a 3-1 lead.
The Roadrunners would head into their last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh down two runs. Howarth reached on an infield error to lead off the inning before
Ally Spellman smacked a double to left-center field to put runners on second and third with no outs.
Harper Patsko then laced a single into left field allowing both runners to come around and score to tie the game 3-3. Following a fielder's choice from
Nicole Mahoney, MSU recorded the second out before
Kristen Ruggiero singled and
Grace Brennan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hernandez then worked a four-pitch walk that pushed Mahoney across for the game-winning run 4-3.
Paige Merle (1-1) earned the win in relief for Ramapo. She entered the game in the top of the sixth inning and shut down the MSU offense. She struck out two, walked one and surrendered just one hit.
Katrina Buczkowski earned a no-decision on the mound. She struck out three, walked two and surrendered five hits in five innings pitched.
Game 2: Ramapo took an early 6-0 lead after two complete innings before MSU scored four runs of their own in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the first Howarth led off with a double before Spellman singled her home with a hit down the left field line for a 1-0 score. In the second inning, Ruggiero led off with a double of her own before Hernandez drove her home with a hard hit single up the middle. Howarth walked before Spellman drove her first home run of season over the left field fence putting the Roadrunners up 5-0. Patsko would make it back-to-back home runs as she hit a solo shot over the left-center field fence pushing the score to 6-0.
MSU tacked on four runs in the top of the third inning when Powers belted a three-run home run of her own to cut the Ramapo lead in half 6-3 before Blake Saperstein singled home Radesich for a 6-4 score. The Roadrunners added one run in the bottom of the third when Ruggiero scored on a
Sisi Machinski two-out single to center field taking a 7-4 lead. Ramapo would make it 8-4 in the fifth inning when
Grace Brennan was able to come around to score when a ball was misplayed in the outfield. MSU scored two runs in the sixth with RBIs from Powers and Hodgins pushing the score to 8-6. Merle came in for relief of starting pitcher
Erin Fitzsimmons in the top of the seventh inning. Valentina Cucci led off the inning with an opposite field home run over the right field wall to come within one 8-7. The Red Hawks would strand two runners on base when Merle was able to get a strike out to end the game and earn her third save of the year.
Fitzsimmons (10-3) struck out three, walked three and scattered eight hits over six innings of work. Merle struck out one, walked none and surrendered two hits in the save. Spellman led the Roadrunners at the plate with four RBI and finishing with two hits and one run scored. Patsko, Mahoney and Machinski all recorded two hits in the game.
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, April 29th when they host NJAC rival #10 Rowan University at 1pm in a double header. Ramapo will honor their senior class in a ceremony prior to the start of the first game.
