Ewing, NJ (4/2/10) - The College of New Jersey softball team kicked off New Jersey Athletic Conference play with two of victories as the Lions posted a pair of shutouts over Montclair State University on Friday. The Lions pulled out a 1-0 win in the opener scoring the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning and completed the sweep with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap.

TCNJ, which is ranked eighth in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association, is now 15-3 on the season and 2-0 in the conference, while the Red Hawks are an even 8-8 and 0-2 in the NJAC. The Lions continue conference play on Tuesday, April 6 heading to Kean University for a pair of games, while the Red Hawks return home on that same day to host Ramapo College.

Game 1
TCNJ 1, Montclair State 0
TCNJ scored the only run in the last of the sixth inning as senior Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) singled up the middle off of the glove of Montclair State’s shortstop and freshman Ashley Sogluizzo (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) raced home from second sending the hosts to a win in the opener.

Senior Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) earned the shutout for the Lions with her team-leading eighth complete game. She scattered six hits and collected four strikeouts.

Montclair State pitcher Elia Persico (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) took the loss for the Red Hawks allowing that one run on four hits.

Seavers finished the game going-2-for-2, including a double.

Sophomore Shannon Mozek (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) finished with a pair of hits for the Red Hawks.

Game 2
TCNJ 5, Montclair State 0
TCNJ pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) remained undefeated on the season as she bumped her record to 8-0. Fitzsimmons allowed only two hits and no Montclair State player reached third base.

The Lions got the jump in the second game with an unearned run in the top of the third as Rebecca Florczyk (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) came across to score on a Red Hawk miscue.

TCNJ tacked single runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Florczyk brought home the first of those with a base hit and the latter coming on another Montclair State error making it a 3-0 game.

In the seventh, the Lions pushed two more runs across as Kelly Hommen (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) plated the first of those with a double and one batter later came around to score on a single by Seavers.

Fitzsimmons once again got plenty of support from her defense as centerfielder Dani Hagel (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Oakcrest) made a nice catch in the gap in right, while left fielder Crystal Lee (Dover, NJ/Morris Knolls) ran down a fly ball deep on the corner taking away another potential extra-base hit.

Montclair pitcher Jamie Miller (Spotswood, NJ/St. John Vianney) suffered only her second loss of the season in six decisions.