Galloway, N.J. – After sweeping three straight NJAC doubleheaders, Stockton University (15-13, 7-3 NJAC) fell twice to 15th-ranked Rowan University (29-3, 12-0), which is unbeaten in conference play.
The Ospreys rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the first game before falling 5-4 in an extra inning. The defeat snapped Stockton's six-game winning streak. The second game ended 5-1 in favor of the Profs.
The doubleheader was played in memory of Stephanie Allocco as part of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Strikeout Cancer initiative. Allocco was an All-American player at Rowan and assistant coach at Stockton before passing away from cancer in 2021.
Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) went 2-3 and notched an RBI in the first game. With an infield single in the fifth inning, James became the fourth player in Stockton history to reach 150 career hits.
Stockton's rally from a 4-0 deficit began in the bottom of the third. James delivered Stockton's first run with a squeeze bunt and
Charli Czaczkowski (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.
The Ospreys later tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman
Regan Mendick (Newark, Del./Red Lion Christian), who joined the team midway through the season, came up as a pinch hitter and delivered a two-run single for her first career hit to pull Stockton into a 4-4 tie.
With the tiebreaker in effect, Rowan scored the decisive run in the top eighth and the Ospreys went down in order in the bottom half. Stockton generated scoring chances in the game but left the bases loaded twice.
Jenna Crampton (High Bridge/Voorhees) pitched well in relief and gave Stockton a chance to come back. Crampton fanned five and allowed three hits and three walks. The only run against her was scored by the tiebreaker runner that was placed on second base to start the eighth inning.
Kayla Posten (Cherry Hill/CH West) had two of Stockton's eight hits in the second game.
Michaela Luyber (Bordentown/Bordentown) contributed one hit and one RBI while James added a hit and a run scored.
Rowan jumped out with two runs in the top of the first but Stockton loaded the bases in the bottom half and got on the board on a fielder's choice that produced an RBI for Luyber and a 2-1 count.
Later trailing 5-1, Stockton loaded the bases again with two outs in the sixth inning, including singles by
Megan Sears (Oakland/Indian Hills) and
Vanessa Tancini (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman), but they came up empty.
The first two batters reached base in the bottom of the seventh, however the Ospreys could not capitalize and they fell 5-1.
Payton McNair and Abby Pawlowski paced Rowan with four hits in the twinbill and Cat Thomas hit a two-run homer in the opener. Rylee Lutz and Emily McCutcheon were the winning pitchers in the first and second games respectively.
Stockton will travel to William Paterson on Saturday for an NJAC doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m.
