New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

FORT MYERS, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University senior right-hander ASHLEY O'BEIRNE (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Immaculate Conception) tossed her second consecutive shutout, a two-hit, nine strikeout gem  as the Gothic Knights blanked Rockford College, 2-0, in game three at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic played on March 12 at the Lee County Sports Complex Field #1.              
 
NJCU scored twice in the first inning for the second game in a row to improve to 2-1; Rockford fell to 2-3 with the loss.
         
In a pitching duel between both starters, O'Beirne walked just one batter and allowed two singles to improve to 2-1. Sophomore pitcher Sarah Moritz (Heyworth, IL) suffered her second loss of the season (1-2) for Rockford, despite allowing just one earned run and two hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
 
NJCU's only two hits came from its middle infield and from a pair of former starters for the women's basketball team, as senior shortstop GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) and second baseman MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) each had a hit.       
 
Rookie right fielder THALIA GARCIA (Ridgefield, NJ/North Bergen) and junior catcher MARISSA BARISO (Hewitt, NJ/West Milford) scored the NJCU runs.
 
Junior second baseman Sara Smoode (Spring Valley, IL) and sophomore third baseman Maranda Walker (Rockford, IL) each went 1-for-3 for the Regents.     
 
While NJCU committed two errors, it did not factor into the scoring. Meanwhile, the lone Rockford error did as both Gothic Knight runs were produced in the bottom of the first. Garcia was hit by a pitch and stole second and Bariso walked before Garcia advanced to third on a wild pitch. After the second out was recorded on a pop out to shortstop, an error by the Rockford second baseman that allowed the relay throw to sail into right field scored both runners, with Garcia crossing and Bariso racing home from first for a 2-0 lead. NJCU did not have a scoring threat the rest of the game.
 
In the top of the first, NJCU committed two errors but stranded both Regent runners on base. Rockford's best remaining scoring opportunity came in the top of the fifth as Walker singled to left and later advanced to second on a Jessica Segalla (Loves Park, IL) fielder's choice. O'Beirne coaxed a groundout to strand two Rockford runners on base and later fanned two batters in the seventh to seal the win.