OSPREYS DROP PAIR TO TCNJ, 4-0 & 6-5 (9 INN.)

Nicole Scanlon

Game 1 / Game 2

Richard Stockton (17-7, 2-6 NJAC) dropped a pair of games to College of New Jersey (17-9, 6-2) in an NJAC twinbill on the road. The Ospreys were shut out for the first time all season in a 4-0 defeat and then came up short 6-5 in nine innings.

Stockton’s best scoring chance in the opener came right away. Joey Afflitto (Brick/Brick) led off the game with a triple and Jessica Goncalves (Union/Union) followed with an infield single.

A stolen base by Goncalves put runners on second and third with no outs but the opportunity was denied on a strikeout followed by a double play on a lineout to the shortstop.

Stockton managed just five hits in the 4-0 defeat. Pitcher Michelle Pietrocola (North Brunswick/North Brunswick) allowed only five hits and struck out six but absorbed the loss on the mound. TCNJ scored all four of its runs in the first three innings, including one unearned tally.

Stockton took a 2-0 lead in the nightcap on single runs in the third and fourth innings. Katelyn Derewecki (Hillsborough/Hillsborough) drew a bases-loaded walk in the third frame and Nicole Scanlon (Colonia/Colonia) blasted her first career home run in the fourth.

TCNJ took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-2 score but Stockton quickly regained the lead as Grace Long (Egg Harbor Twp./EHT) slugged a three-run homer, her team-leading sixth long ball of the year, in the top of the fifth.

The Lions came right back with the tying run in the bottom of the fifth and teams later went to extra innings tied 5-5.

After Stockton was hampered by a pickoff in the top of the eighth, they held TCNJ scoreless in the bottom half. A bunt single by Scanlon in the top of the ninth put runners on first and third with none out but again the Ospreys could not convert. The Lions then pushed a run across in the bottom of the ninth to edge Stockton 6-5.

Scanlon finished the game 3-4 including the solo homer while Long went 2-3 with a double and a three-run blast that produced three RBI.