North Branch, NJ - The RVCC Softball team hadn't won a game since April 26th 2018. The Freshmen class this year had yet to experience the joy associated with winning a ball game in a Lions uniform. Teams with lesser heart and determination might have thrown in the towel, but not the Lions. Especially not on Sophomore Day. The Lions rallied to win their first two games of the season in a sweep of Bucks County College. The Lions won the first game 11-4 in seven innings and the second game 4-3 in five innings.
With freshman Shelia Nunez on the mound the Lions blanked the Centurions in the first two innings while putting up 9 runs of their own. The lead proved too much for Bucks County to rebound from even though they pulled within 5 runs in the fifth inning. With Sophomore Sophia Leone sidelined due to a concussion and Sophomore Brianna Laface pitching in game two, Claudia Edralin relied heavily upon her freshmen teammates to help the team reach their first win on the season. Edralin finished game one with 2 hits and 2 runs scored. Xiomara Cornejo (2), Sheila Nunez (3), and Savannah Hettman (1) accounted for all of the teams RBI's in game one. Freshman Chloe Dale went 2 for 2 and scored 3 runs while Nunez was also 2 for 2 with 2 walks. The taste of victory in game one got the Lions well prepared for the battle in game two.
Bucks County came out strong taking a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the second, but the Lions scored two runs of their own in that frame and never looked back. Brianna Laface held the Centurions scoreless in the 3rd and 4th innings while striking out 4 batters on the night in just 5 innings. The Centurions mounted a comeback in the final inning, but the Lions were able to hold them off for a thrilling 4-3 win in their final game of the season. Edralin shined once again as she went 2 for 2 with 2 runs and an RBI. Freshmen Vanesa Ramirez and Julia Kreider scored the other two deciding runs in the victory. Chloe Dale went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI and Gineyra Rios Vega lead the team with 2 RBI's while going 1 for 3. Hettman, Anne Joseph, and Kreider all reistered hits in game two for the Lions as well.
With only Edralin, Leone, and Laface graduating this season, the team had a year filled with valuable learning experience and will look to build off the chemistry they created this year. Congratulations to the three sophomores for ending their careers on a high note! On behalf of the entire athetic department family, Thank You for your hard work, dedication, and loyalty to our program!
