Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The softball team won their first game after splitting a non-conference doubleheader against the Gothic Knights from New Jersey City University on Thursday afternoon in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The Bearcats were shutout in the opening contest, 3-0, but dominated in the second with a 10-2 victory in six innings.

In the opener, the visiting Bearcats (1-5) were limited to a single apiece by Olivia Auman, Chelsea DeGuzman, Nicole Flint and Courtney White.

The Gothic Knights (5-5) from the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) totaled five hits with Thalia Garcia accounting for all three RBI in the 3-0 shutout home victory.

In the second game, the Gothic Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Bearcats scored three runs in the second inning and two more in the third for a 5-1 advantage.

The Bearcats scored all three of their runs in the second inning with two outs. Deena Farrell started by reaching base on a fielding error and Megan Ruiz doubled for runners on second and third base.

Chelsea DeGuzman smacked a two run double to left center field to score Farrell and Ruiz. Toniann Donde followed with a RBI single to right center to score DeGuzman for the 3-1 lead after two innings.

Maria Vlahopoulos reached base in the third inning on an infield single and came around to score after a fly ball hit by Gianna Doukas was dropped by the outfielder. Farrell stepped up to the plate next and hit an RBI single to left field to bring home Doukas for the 5-1 score.

The Gothic Knights cut the score to 5-2 in their bottom of the third, but the Bearcats added to their advantage in the fourth inning with an RBI single to right center by Regina Cardinale to score Donde.

They added three more runs in the fifth inning. Flint doubled to left field to score Ruiz and Christine Bowman followed with a two RBI single to score Donde and Flint for a 9-2 advantage.

They scored their 10th and final run in the sixth inning, prompting the eight-run mercy rule, after Vlahopoulos scored on a fly ball hit by DeGuzman that was dropped by the third baseman.

Bowman earns her first intercollegiate pitching victory with a complete game, six hitter (2ER) to go along with three strikeouts.

The Bearcats will return to action on Tuesday, March 26, with a non-conference doubleheader at SUNY-Old Westbury on Long Island. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.