STOCKTON SPLITS TWO IN FLORIDA

Grace Long

Richard Stockton (5-1) split its two games in Florida, suffering its first loss of the season in the process.

The Ospreys blanked Elms College 2-0 for their fifth straight win, but their streak came to an end with a 5-3 loss to Albright. Grace Long (Egg Harbor Twp./EHT) went 4-7 with two doubles and a home run on the day.

Jamie Gasko (Cinnaminson/Cinnaminson) pitched a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts in the 2-0 triumph over Elms. Long went 2-3 with a double and a home run while Nicole Chabak (Marlton/Cherokee) also was 2-3 at the plate.

Long snapped a scoreless tie with a solo homer in the top of the fourth, her second long ball of the year, to give Stockton a 1-0 lead. The Ospreys added an insurance run in the sixth frame as Long led off with a double and scored on an error during a sacrifice bunt by Gasko for the 2-0 final score.

Against Albright, Stockton made two errors in the first inning that led to five unearned runs. The Ospreys tried for a late rally, starting with a run in the fifth stanza. Jessica Goncalves (Union/Union) led off with a bunt single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Stephanie Darrow (Marlton/Cherokee) to get Stockton on the board.

The Ospreys cut it to 5-3 in the sixth inning. Long led off with a single and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Chabak. Goncalves notched an RBI with a bunt single but Stockton’s comeback ended there and the Ospreys were saddled with their first defeat.

Darrow, Goncalves and Long finished with two hits apiece in the contest. Goncalves and Long each scored once while Darrow contributed an RBI. Stockton pitcher Michelle Pietrocola (North Brunswick/ North Brunswick) allowed just four hits and struck out four in a solid outing despite the outcome.