Union, N.J. – Stockton University (23-18) begin its play in the double-elimination NJAC Tournament with a 9-1 setback at Kean University (30-7) in six innings (run rule). The Ospreys are the No. 5 seed while Kean is the No. 2 seed for the conference tourney.
 
Stockton's top three in the batting order accounted for four of the team's five hits, led by Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) who was 2-3 with a home run in the leadoff spot. Charli Czaczkowski (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) extended her hitting streak to eight games and reached-base streak to 18 games with a single.
 
James got the Ospreys off to great start by leading off the game with her fourth home run of the season to give Stockton an early 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Nerina Tramp (Blackwood/Highland), the reigning NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week, held the Cougars in the check for the first two innings.
 
Stockton had a chance to extend the lead in the top of third with one-out singles by James and Megan Dignam (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy), but the Ospreys came up empty.
 
Kean pulled ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third and broke the game open with two runs in the fourth inning, four in the fifth and one in the sixth to invoke the run rule at 9-1.
 
In addition to the combined four hits by James, Dignam and Czaczkowski at the top of the order, Kayla Posten (Cherry Hill/CH West) rapped a single in the second inning.
 
Stockton tumbled into the losers' bracket with the defeat and will play No. 6 seed Montclair State in an elimination game at Kean University, the site for the remainder of the tournament, on Friday at 2 p.m.