Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (8-4) made its 2019 home opener a success by sweeping a doubleheader from Alvernia (7-7) by scores of 8-4 and 4-2. The second game was stopped in the sixth inning due to darkness.
 
Senior Casey Schieda (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.) reached the 100-hit mark during the opener. Schieda entered the day with 98 career hits and singled in each of her first two at-bats. Schieda and freshman Leah McCray (Philadelphia, PA/Merion Mercy Academy) finished with three hits apiece in the 8-4 win.
 
Alvernia plated a run in the top of the first and Stockton quickly tied the game 1-1 on an RBI single by Alexandra Cosenzo (East Hanover/Hanover Park) in the bottom half. Schieda's 100th career hit was an RBI single in the bottom of the second that gave the Ospreys the lead for good at 2-1. McCray followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 count.
 
Stockton capitalized on two errors to score three unearned runs in the fifth frame to extend to 6-1. Carli Shaw (Bordentown/Bordentown) contributed an RBI single. Alvernia closed the gap to 6-4 with three unearned runs of their own in the top of the sixth.
 
Schieda led off the bottom half with a single and McCray followed with a double. Both Ospreys later scored to seal the 8-4 victory. Marissa Semeraro (Ridgefield/Ridgefield) got the start on the mound and earned the win with five innings pitched, allowing one run on five hits.
 
McCray continued her big day with two more hits in the nightcap, including her team-leading third home run of the season. The freshman finished with five hits in the doubleheader. Ashley Lobell (Cedar Knolls/Whippany Park) went 2-3 with an RBI in the 4-2 triumph.
 
Alvernia again took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first and Stockton answered again with a run in the bottom half, this time on a single by Lobell that plated Schieda. The Golden Wolves took a brief 2-1 edge in the top of the third before McCray slugged a solo homer to the opposite field in the bottom of the third to tie the game 2-2.
 
The deadlock remained until the bottom of the fifth when Shaw delivered Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) with the go-ahead run on a two-out RBI single. James finished with one hit in each game and made several excellent defensive plays at shortstop, handling 12 chances without an error.
 
Meg Murzello (Maple Shade/Holy Cross) followed Shaw's key hit with an RBI single of her own to add an insurance run. Alvernia went scoreless in the top of the sixth and the game was halted due to darkness, completing the sweep for Stockton.
 
Pitcher Samantha Huetter (Roseland/West Essex) improved to 5-0 on the season with the win. Huetter allowed just one earned run plus one unearned while scattering seven hits in a complete game.
 
Stockton is scheduled to play its next three doubleheaders on the road, starting with a pair at Washington College (MD) on Thursday at 2 pm.