In their first action since returning from THE Spring Games in Florida, the Ramapo softball team continued their scorching hot start to the season, winning five of six games against John Jay College, Hunter College and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The stretch improved Ramapo’s overall record to 15-2 on the season, and their split against TCNJ gives them a 1-1 record in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).
The Roadrunners entered the week as the No. 25 team in the country, as ranked by the national Division III coaches poll, and proved why with dominating sweeps of John Jay and Hunter. Ramapo’s doubleheader against John Jay was their first home game of the season, and won by mercy rule in both games.
In game one, Marissa DiPaolo took to the mound and continued her stellar start to the season, throwing four innings, allowing just one run on five hits, earning her fifth win of the season. Brooke Knight came on in relief in the fifth inning to close it out, allowing one run on one hit.
Ramapo’s offense put up 13 runs in just four innings, leading to the mercy victory. Senior Katie Rygiel went three for four at the plate, scoring three runs with a stolen base and recording one RBI. Junior Avery Kontura went three for three with four RBIs, including three RBI doubles. The Roadrunners also displayed patience at the plate, walking six times compared to just one strikeout as a team.
In game two, Kassy Stefanski was on the mound and struggled compared to what she’s become used to. The junior allowed five earned runs in four-and-two-thirds innings, allowed 10 hits and recorded four strikeouts. Fortunately, her offense didn’t let Stefanksi’s outing matter, walking off into a mercy win in the sixth inning.
Rygiel recorded her first home run of the season in the second inning, a two-run shot to left that scored Emily Reilly. Seven different Roadrunners recorded at least one RBI, including Kontura, who had the walk-off with an RBI single to center that scored Reilly. The win moved Stefanski’s record to 5-0 on the year, while Knight, who came on in relief, recorded her third save of the year.
On Thursday, Ramapo took to their home turf once again to face Hunter, where they would again record a two-game sweep. In game one, Stefanski tossed perhaps the best game of her illustrious career, a complete-game shutout where she allowed just two hits and recorded 11 strikeouts. She also carried a no-hitter into the top of the seventh inning.
The Roadrunners took the lead in the first thanks to a sacrifice fly from senior Ysabellah Otero. Otero was responsible for bringing three of Ramapo’s five runs home, reaching on a run-scoring error in the third and recording another sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
In game two, DiPaolo followed Stefanski with another complete game, allowing one unearned run on two hits and tallying four strikeouts. Junior Alex Hastings was phenomenal at the plate, going four for four with two runs scored, while as a team, the Roadrunners got on base 15 times. The win moved Ramapo to 14-1 on the year, entering their first NJAC play of the year.
On Saturday, the Roadrunners traveled down to Ewing to face TCNJ, where their six-game win streak came to an end in a 3-2 loss. Ramapo got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a two-run homer from catcher Hannah Hensler, but from that point on, the Roadrunner bats went cold. TCNJ tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Stefanski allowed a two RBI single to outfielder Morgan Estelow.
The Lions then walked off in the bottom of the seventh with a Kaci Neveling RBI double. Stefanski was charged with her first loss of the year, allowing two earned runs in six and two-thirds innings. TCNJ’s Maya Knasiak improved her record to 7-3.
In game two, Ramapo got right back into the win column with a 3-1 win, thanks in large part to a gem from DiPaolo, who allowed zero earned runs in a complete game. The Roadrunners took the lead in the sixth with a two-run double from Kontura and added an insurance run with an RBI single from freshman Rebecca Airel.
The win moved DiPaolo to 7-1 on the year and gave the Roadrunners their first NJAC win in 2025. Ramapo will play two more NJAC games this weekend when they host William Paterson University on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo by Nancy Rygiel
