Glassboro, N.J. – Stockton University (0-2), which played only one doubleheader before the 2020 season was shut down, opened the 2021 campaign by dropping a pair of games 8-0 and 3-1 to Rowan University (6-4), who played their ninth and 10th games of the spring.
 
Rowan jumped on the Ospreys early in the opener. The Profs scored five runs in the first inning, which included a three-run homer by Mariah Wysocki. Two more runs in the second frame and one in the fourth brought the eight-run rule into effect and the game was stopped after the top of the fifth.
 
All 15 Stockton batters who went to the plate were retired in order for a combined perfect game by Rowan pitchers Emily August and Alexa Saccomanno. For Stockton, freshman hurler Stevie Unger (Tower City, Pa./Williams Valley) came out of the bullpen for a solid college debut. Unger allowed one run on one hit with one strikeout in two innings of work.
 
Stockton took an early lead in the first inning of the nightcap. Meg Murzello led off the game with a walk and stole second. Two batters later, freshman Jenna Patterson (Mullica Hill/Clearview) knocked her first career hit, an RBI double that scored Murzello for a 1-0 lead.
 
Rowan jumped in front 2-1 with a two-run homer by Saccomanno in the bottom of the second and added an insurance run in the third frame on the way to the 3-1 final. In addition to Patterson, sophomore transfer Gabrielle Barranger (Sicklerville/Haddonfield) also registered her first career hit and Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) singled once.
 
Stockton pitcher Samantha McErlane (Mount Ephraim/Audubon) limited the Profs to three runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout but was saddled with the loss. Saccomano earned with win with five scoreless innings of work.
 
Stockton will be on the road again on Tuesday for doubleheader at #8 Kean University that begins at 3 p.m.