Ewing, N.J. – Stockton University (0-8, 0-4 NJAC) played its fourth consecutive road doubleheader to open the season and suffered a pair of defeats at The College of New Jersey (5-1, 4-0 NJAC). The Ospreys scored a season-high five runs in the opener but were outgunned 9-5. The bats fell silent in the nightcap, a 5-1 setback.
 
Stockton jumped in front 1-0 in the top of the first inning of game one. Meg Murzello (Maple Shade/Holy Cross) led off with a walk, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex).
 
TCNJ quickly answered with five runs on four hits and an error in the bottom half for a 5-1 count. Two freshmen sparked an Osprey rally to within 5-4 in the third frame. Megan Dignam (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) led off with her first career hit and Murzello reached on an error.
 
Two batters later, freshman Jenna Patterson (Mullica Hill/Clearview) slugged her first career home run, an opposite field blast to right center, for three RBI to make it a 5-4 game. TCNJ came back with a solo homer in the bottom half for a 6-4 edge.
 
Stockton closed the gap to one again in the fourth inning as Murzello reached on another error and scored on an RBI double by Megan McManus (Northfield/Mainland). The Lions then put the game out of reach with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and one more in the fifth for the 9-5 final.
 
In addition to Patterson's homer and the double by McManus, freshman Brittany Rifenburg (Spotswood/Spotswood) also ripped a double. Murzello scored three runs and stole a base.
 
Stockton had difficulty solving TCNJ pitcher Alanna Namit in the nightcap as the Ospreys managed just two hits. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when the Lions got on the board with a single run before Stockton tied it in the top of the fifth.
 
After McManus rapped a pinch-hit single, Vanessa Tancini (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) reentered the game and stole second. Tancini advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a passed ball to tie it at 1-1. TCNJ went back in front 2-1 in the bottom half and added three more runs in the sixth stanza to complete the sweep 5-1.
 
Freshman pitcher Stevie Unger (Tower City, Pa./Williams Valley) got off to a solid start, holding the Lions scoreless on two hits through the first three innings. The Ospreys were unable to grab the lead, leaving five runners on base while the game was scoreless, and TCNJ scored in each of its last three offensive turns.
 
Stockton will finally get a chance to play on its home field on Saturday when the Ospreys host an NJAC doubleheader against Rutgers-Newark that begins at 1 p.m.