Over the weekend, the Ramapo softball team swept two New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheaders against William Paterson University and Rutgers-Camden University. The Roadrunners are now 6-0 in NJAC play and 17-3 overall on the season, tying them for first place in the conference with Rowan University.
Beginning with Saturday in Wayne, the Roadrunners handled the Bears 2-0 and 7-1 in consecutive games. In game one, senior Mahogany Wheeler continued her stellar season, tossing four scoreless innings, allowing four hits while inducing seven ground balls.
Wheeler was followed by sophomore Brooke Knight, who recorded her second save of the year, going three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and tallying three strikeouts. In total, Knight and Wheeler only allowed five of 24 batters to reach base throughout the game.
At the plate, the Roadrunners got on the board early in the second inning thanks to an RBI double from sophomore catcher Hannah Hensler that scored outfielder Kori Gargiulo. In the top of the fifth inning, Ramapo added a second insurance run after outfielder Lia Milsom scored from second base on an error.
For Wheeler, the win was her third on the season, and through four games started, her ERA is at a career-best 1.70. She is also yet to walk a batter this season and has only allowed one extra base hit.
In game two, the Roadrunner offense sparked for seven runs, while the pitching held William Paterson to just one run on four hits. Ramapo got on the board in the first inning when Wheeler, who played third base in this game, launched an RBI double to left field, scoring Alexis Corra. Two at bats later, Avery Kontura scored Wheeler with an RBI double of her own.
The Bears responded in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI double from Lilah Guthy, but were held scoreless in the remaining six innings. Ramapo added a third run in the third inning thanks to an RBI groundout from Wheeler.
After the fourth, fifth and sixth innings were held scoreless on both sides, the Roadrunner offense added an additional four runs in the top of the seventh, which included a two-run single from Hensler.
On the mound, sophomore Kassy Stefanski recorded her fifth win of the season, tossing four innings of one-run ball and tallying five strikeouts. Knight came in for the second time in one day, giving the Roadrunners three scoreless innings and recording her second save of the day, and third on the year.
Moving to Sunday’s games in Camden, Ramapo held the Scarlet Raptors to just one run across two games, winning 3-0 and 5-1. In game one, both sides were held scoreless through four innings, but the Roadrunners struck gold in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs thanks to a Katie Rygiel single and an Avery Bartolomeo single.
In the seventh inning, Rygiel again contributed in the RBI column, adding a run on a solo homer to center field, her first long ball of the season.
On the mound for Ramapo, Marissa DiPaolo was phenomenal, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and recording six strikeouts. Knight came in for the save in the seventh inning, allowing one hit and tallying one strikeout.
In game two, Ramapo yet again set the tone early by scoring in the first inning, this time courtesy of an RBI single from Kontura. In the fourth inning, Kontura scored again thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alex Hastings.
The Roadrunners were able to add another three runs in the sixth inning, two coming off an RBI double from Corra, and the third from a Bartolomeo RBI double.
Stefanski got her second start and win of the weekend on the mound, giving the Roadrunners five scoreless innings. Knight came on in relief for her fourth appearance in two days, throwing two innings and allowing one run.
On Saturday, Ramapo will face off against NJAC rival Rowan at home in what could be a pivotal series for the future standings. Game one of the doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m., and game two will start at that game’s conclusion.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Jenna Barnes
