Clermont, FL – Stockton University (3-1) topped a pair of teams from the Midwest on day two of the Ospreys' spring break trip. Stockton defeated Simpson (IA) (2-1) by a 6-1 count and then topped Lake Forest (IL) (3-3) 8-3. Lake Forest is one of three 2018 NCAA Tournament teams that the Ospreys will face in Florida.
In the win over Simpson,
Angie Dunphy (Hainesport/Rancocas Valley) went 3-4 at the plate and pitched three scoreless innings to record a save.
Alexandra Cosenzo (East Hanover/Hanover Park) was 2-3 with three RBI, including tying the school record with her 16th career home run.
The Ospreys were behind 1-0 into the fourth inning when Cosenzo vaulted them into a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer that tied the Stockton record held by
Joey Afflitto (2009-12). Stockton added two more runs in the inning as Dunphy scored on a wild pitch and
Carli Shaw (Bordentown/Bordentown) added an RBI single.
The Ospreys tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by
Leah McCray (Philadelphia/Merion Mercy Academy) and a sacrifice fly by Cosenzo to complete the scoring at 6-1. Starting pitcher
Samantha Huetter (Roseland/West Essex) earned the win, allowing one run on three hits in four innings of work.
McCray went 2-3 with two doubles and two runs scored in the victory over Lake Forest.
Meg Murzello (Maple Shade/Holy Cross) contributed two hits and an RBI.
Lake Forest took the early lead with a pair of unearned runs in the second inning. Murzello got Stockton on the board with an RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. The Foresters scored once in the top of the third and McCray came home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.
Stockton took the lead for good in the fourth inning.
Casey Schieda (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.) earned an RBI with a bases-loaded walk and Cosenzo delivered an RBI single that plated Shaw with the go-ahead run at 4-3. In the sixth stanza, the Ospreys manufactured four runs on just one hit plus a walk and two players hit by pitch to break the game open and win 8-3.
Two Stockton pitchers allowed just one earned run and held Lake Forest to four hits. Starter
Marissa Semeraro (Ridgefield/Ridgefield) recorded her first win of the season, allowing one earned run (two unearned) on four hits in 5.1 innings pitched.
Victoria Torp (West Milford/West Milford) entered with Stockton up 4-3 and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings for a save.
Tomorrow, Stockton will play Worcester State (MA) and 1:30 and then face Illinois Wesleyan, which is ranked second in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, at 6 pm. Illinois Wesleyan was the NCAA runner-up last season.
