NJCUSB challenged Knox College and RIT on March 15 for the final day in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. 

GAME 1: NJCU VS KNOX College

Bases were loaded in the top of the first. Amber Hunter managed to keep Knox from driving in a run. Both team remained scoreless in the first inning.   

At the top of the second, Knox broke the tie and drove in the first run of the game. The inning quickly ended with 2 outs on Knox and two players left on base. Hannah Gavin was the first batter on the lineup in the bottom of the second. She fired off a double and advanced to second base. Christina Mezey lined out straight to center but resulted in an out for NJCU. With two outs and in jeopardy of losing the third, the team could not catch a break and Gavin was stranded at second base.

A NJCU fielder was credited a putout at the top of the third. Umpire Bill Love called an infield fly which caused a bit of confusion. The decision was made that Knox base runners were safe and would advance. Following the call, Knox drove in two runs and held a 3-0 lead. The game was halted due to an injury from Hunter who was later treated. Mezey replaced Hunter on the mound for the rest of the third. Knox had two outs and one left however Mezey was ready to retire the final two Knox batters.

In the bottom of the third, Arianna Scrimo deposited a ground ball to center field and reached first base. Katherine Ayala was called in to be pinch runner (substitute) for Scrimo. Dulce Almonte hit a sacrifice bunt which pushed Ayala to second base. In attempts to advance Ayala to third and potentially to home, Maria Montes struck out leaving Ayala stranded at second.

Hunter returned to the mound in the fourth. NJCU collected two errors which worked in Knox’s benefit. The first error was a E2 fielding error and Knox base runner advanced to second base. The second error was on Ariana Moore who missed the catch. Knox drove in two unearned runs because of the errors and maintained a 5-0 lead in the fourth.

In the fifth, Knox went on to collect four more runs and win the game 9-0. 

GAME 2: NJCU VS RIT