Jersey City, N.J.-- The John Jay softball team fell in a pair of contest as the Bloodhounds were swept in a doubleheader at New Jersey City University on Friday afternoon. John Jay lost the first game 4-2 before dropping the nightcap 7-0.
After two scoreless innings the Bloodhounds drew first blood by scoring the first run of the game in the top of the third inning.
With two outs and nobody on base the Bloodhounds mounted a mini rally as
Katie Koeppel (Danbury, CT/ Danbury) drew a walk to the keep the inning going. She came around to score the first run of the afternoon as an RBI triple off the bat of
Danielle Bonici (Staten Island, NY/ St. Peter’s Girls) gave John Jay a 1-0 lead.
That lead would only last until the bottom half of the inning as the host Gothic Knights charged back with four runs in their half of the frame to take a lead they would not relinquish.
It was the only four runs the Bloodhounds would allow, but John Jay would only get one run back.
The Bloodhounds got another run across in the top of the fifth taking advantage of sloppy fielding by NJCU as Marlene Nunez (Bronx, NY/ Bronx Leadership) scored from third after a failed pick off attempt by the NJCU hurler.
The Bloodhounds had an opportunity to cut further into the deficit, but would leave the bases loaded.
John Jay would add base runners in the sixth and seventh innings but could not get any runs across before falling in the opener.
Erica Esposito (Dix Hills, NY/ Half Hollow Hills) and
Dayna Navatta (Queens, NY/ Bayside) split time at pitcher in the first game. Esposito allowed four runs on six hits through three innings. Navatta pitched the latter half of the contest shuting down NJCU for no runs on no hits.
In the second game NJCU got two runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to take a 6-0 lead after four.
And it proved to be more than enough as John Jay failed to get any runners across the plate in the nightcap.
The Bloodhounds best chance may have come in the third inning when they orchestrated a two out rally to load the bases.
Arlene Pena (Bronx, NY/ Lehman) drew a walk, then Bonici reached on a throwing error. Esposito then delivered a single to right field to saturate the bases with Bloodhounds. But a groundout to shortstop to end the inning would deny any damage.
John Jay then loaded the bases again in the seventh but could not get any runs across. Navatta led off the seventh with a walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pena then drew a one out walk. Bonici then reached on a fielder’s choice, but a throwing error by NJCU allowed Pena to safely advance to second as Navatta went to third.
But with one out and the bases loaded, the tying runs made the final two outs of the contest as John Jay fell in defeat.
John Jay was held to four hits in the contest and got one hit a piece from Navatta, Bonici, Esposito, and
Soely Sanchez (Bronx, NY/ Franklin Lane).
John Jay will return to action on Tue. Apr. 10 for a single game at conference for York College at 3 p.m.
