Aston, PA –Stockton University (9-5) split a doubleheader at Neumann University (11-5), winning the first game 12-7 but dropping the second contest 8-6. Leah McCray (Philadelphia, PA/Merion Mercy Academy) totaled six hits on the day and Ashley Lobell (Cedar Knolls/Whippany Park) had five.
 
McCray went 4-5 with a double, two runs and two RBI in the 12-7 triumph. Lobell was 3-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs while Meg Murzello (Maple Shade/Holy Cross) added three hits, including a double and triple, and scored three times.
 
Stockton got off to a fast start with four runs in the top of the first. Murzello led off with a triple and scored on McCray's RBI single. Lobell followed with a three-run homer, her second long ball of the season, for a 4-0 lead.
 
The advantage went to 6-0 in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Casey Schieda (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.) and another RBI single by McCray that plated Murzello. The Ospreys added four more runs in the third frame, highlighted by Murzello's RBI double, for a 10-0 lead.
 
Neumann closed the gap to 10-7 before Stockton put the game away with two runs in the fifth. Alexandra Cosenzo (East Hanover/Hanover Park) stroked an RBI single to score McCray and Lobell came home on an error on the play for the last run of the 12-7 win.
 
Pitcher Marissa Semeraro (Ridgefield/Ridgefield) improved to 3-0 on the season. Semararo started, was lifted in the fourth inning but reentered in the fifth to finish the game. Overall, the sophomore allowed three runs (one unearned) on nine hits with four strikeouts in six innings pitched.
 
McCray went 2-4 with a run and Lobell was 2-4 with a double, run and an RBI in the nightcap. Schieda, Cosenzo and Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) added two hits apiece in the contest.
 
This time Neumann started quickly, scoring three runs in the first inning. Stockton got two back in the third frame as James scored on a wild pitch and Schieda rapped an RBI single that plated Murzello to make it 3-2. The Knights created some separation with two runs in the bottom of the third and three in the fourth for an 8-2 margin.
 
Stockton tried to rally with four runs in the fifth inning. Lobell started the comeback try with an RBI single and Cosenzo later added a two-run single, scoring Lobell and McCray to get the Ospreys within 8-6.
 
McCray led off the seventh stanza with a single and moved to third on a double by Lobell to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. The next three Ospreys then were retired in order to end the 8-6 setback.
 
Stockton will stay in Pennsylvania and play a doubleheader at Wilkes University tomorrow at noon.