Weehawken, N.J. – Stockton University (2-0) came from behind in each game for an opening day sweep of Stevens (0-6). The Ospreys erased a 4-0 deficit to win the first game 6-5 in eight innings and then rallied from 5-2 down to take the nightcap 11-10.
Lilly James (Roseland/West Essex) totaled three hits, including a home run and a double, plus five RBI, two runs and a walk on the day.
Stockton surrendered four unearned runs and trailed 4-0 entering the sixth inning of the opener before scoring six times in the next three frames. James led off the top of the sixth with a single and later scored on an error to get the Ospreys on the board.
In the top of the seventh, James ripped a bases-loaded double that scored three runners to tie the game 4-4. Stevens stranded the potential winning run at third base in the bottom of the seventh and the contest went to an extra inning.
In the top of the eighth, transfer
Kayla Posten (Cherry Hill/CH West) smacked an RBI double for her first hit as an Osprey and a 5-4 edge. Two batter later, Posten scored on an RBI groundout by
Gracie Meyer (Pittsgrove/A.P. Schalick), who also had two hits in the game, to make it 6-4.
Stevens plated one run and got the tying run to second base in the bottom half before
Samantha McErlane (Mt. Ephraim/Audubon) closed out the 6-5 triumph. McErlane tossed all eight innings for the win, and none of the runs that she allowed were earned.
Stockton took an early 2-0 lead in the second game as freshman
Charli Czaczkowski (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) blasted a two-run homer for her first career hit. The Ducks responded with five runs in the bottom of the second to jump ahead 5-2.
Czaczkowski rapped an RBI single in the third frame but Stevens answered with a run in the bottom half for a 6-3 count in favor of the Ducks. Stockton then vaulted in front 10-6 with seven runs on five hits in the top of the fourth. James slugged a two-run homer to spark the outburst.
Four batters later,
Megan Sears (Oakland/Indian Hills) became the second Stockton freshman to hit her first career home run in the game with a three-run blast that made it 9-6 Ospreys.
Madison Kelly (Franklinville/Delsea) added an RBI double that scored Czaczkowski for a 10-6 advantage.
Sears led off the sixth frame with a walk, stole second and scored on an RBI single by pitcher
Stevie Unger (Tower City, Pa./Williams Valley) to increase the lead to 11-6. Stevens nearly came all the way back in the bottom of the seventh, plating four runs on four hits to get within 11-10 before Unger induced the final out.
Czaczkowski went 3-4 with a homer, three RBI and two runs in the second game.
Michaela Luyber (Bordentown/Bordentown) was 3-4 with two runs while Sears finished 2-3 with the home run, three RBI, two runs, a stolen base and a walk.
Stockton will play 10 games in Florida during spring break next week, starting with matchups against North Central College (Ill.) and Washington College (Md.) on March 13 at 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.
