The William Paterson Pioneers opened their season with hot bats, sweeping the Hunter College Hawks in a doubleheader Tuesday, Mar. 10.
In Game 1, the Pioneers broke things open with a six-run second inning. Aubrey Miller scored the first run after reaching home on a throwing error. Hailey Backo later crossed the plate when Molly Cocco hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and Kelsey Geurts added another run following a fielding error.
Megan Tinger delivered the biggest hit of the inning, clearing the bases with a triple to give the Pioneers a 6-0 lead.
William Paterson added to its lead in the third inning when Taylor Palmieri hit an RBI single to right field, driving in Geurts for her second run of the game. The Hawks scored their only run in the bottom half of the inning after drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Pioneers kept the pressure on in the fourth. Backo drove in Tinger with a double, then stole third and home on a double steal with Geurts to end the game via the mercy rule. William Paterson secured the 9-1 victory in four innings.
Senior pitcher Lilah Guthy started in the circle, striking out four batters while allowing one hit in 3.2 innings. Palmieri recorded one out in relief, allowing one hit and one run before Kylie Anthony closed the game with a strikeout.
Game 2 followed a similar script.
Hunter College struck first with a run in the opening inning, but the Pioneers quickly responded. Brandi Shortway scored when Tinger grounded out to second base, tying the game 1-1 after the first inning.
In the second inning, Shortway delivered a three-run triple, the Pioneers’ second bases-clearing triple of the day, to give William Paterson a 4-1 lead.
Both teams were quiet in the third and fourth innings, but the Pioneers broke through again in the fifth. Backo hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Stephanie Ciravolo for her first home run of the season. Backo had also hit William Paterson’s only home run last season.
The Pioneers added three more runs in the sixth inning. Anthony drove in a run with an RBI single to left field, and Backo followed with an infield single to plate another run. Geurts capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Tinger and ending the game via the mercy rule for the second time that afternoon.
Aubrey Miller started Game 2, pitching three innings with five strikeouts while allowing one run. Ciravolo relieved Miller in the fourth inning, throwing two scoreless innings and earning the win. Anthony pitched the sixth inning to close out the victory.
The Pioneers will look to carry the momentum into their upcoming trip to Florida, where they are scheduled to play 10 games in six days.
