Clermont, FL...The College of New Jersey softball team ended its successful spring trip to Florida with a split as the Lions capped the week with a record of 7-1.
Saturday started with a 10-9 defeat in 10 innings at the hands of Wesleyan University, but TCNJ bounced right back to beat Western New England College 11-2 in six innings.
The Lions finished their trip with a near-perfect 7-1 record with two other games being rained out.
TCNJ returns to the field on Saturday, March 20 heading to Moravian College for a doubleheader with the Greyhounds. The first game starts at 1 p.m.
Wesleyan University 10, TCNJ 9 (10 innings)
Box Score
The teams were tied 5-5 at the end of seven innings with both teams plating runs in each of the three extra innings. Wesleyan scored twice in the top of the 10th and then held the Lions to a single run in the latter half of the inning handing TCNJ its lone defeat of the trip.
Senior Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) had a huge game at the plate for the Lions going 4-for-6 with four runs batted in. Two of those hits were doubles and she also scored a run. Sophomore Crystal Lee (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls) chipped in with two hits, a run scored, and a RBI.
Starting pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) went into the eighth inning recording eight strikeouts.
TCNJ 11, Western New England College 2 (6 innings)
Box Score
The Lions trailed 1-0 after the opening inning, but quickly turned things around scoring four times in both the second and third innings. The team then pushed three more runs across in the top of the sixth securing the victory.
Senior Dani Hagel (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Oakcrest) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and scored twice, while sophomore Rebecca Florczyk (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) had two hits and drove in five runs. Three of those runs came on a bases-loaded double in the sixth inning.
Lee, sophomore Katelyn Congilose (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan), and freshman Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) added to the win with two hits apiece.
Senior Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) went the distance for the Lions with her fourth complete game as she didn’t allow an earned run and struck out six.