WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (April 19, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team had a tough day at the Weehawken Waterfront, as Richard Stockton College swept two games by 5-2 and 11-1 finals. Freshman Kendel Aurand (McVeytown, Pa.) led the Ducks offensively, going 3-for-6 with an RBI.

Game One

Stockton scored one run in the top of the first on two singles and two walks to go out in front early. Both teams then went down in order in the second.

Things were quiet for the next two innings as well; Stevens was hitless in that time and Stevens starter Kayla Berardi (Brookfield, Conn.) kept Stockton off the board.

In the fifth, Stockton scored two more runs. This time, they were unearned as the Ospreys took advantage of a Stevens error to move in front 3-0.

Stephanie Senkevich (Washington, N.J.) led off the home half of the frame with a single up the middle. The Ducks then returned the favor; they took advantage of a Stockton miscue and scored a run on a two-out RBI single by Kendel Aurand.

The defensive highlight of the sixth inning was undoubtedly the exciting 1-4-6-5-8 doubleplay turned by the Ducks on a sacrifice bunt attempt with nobody out.

In the seventh inning, Joey Afflitto (Brick, N.J.) lifted a two-run homer just over the fence in centerfield to give the Ospreys a four-run cushion.

The Ducks showed good fight in their last licks; Sarah Parker (Fredricksburg, Va.) doubled to leftfield, Aurand singled and Danielle DeFeo (Andover, N.J.) drove in a run with a line single to left. The rally petered out, however, and Stockton won by the final score of 5-2.

Michelle Pietrocola (North Brunswick, N.J.) was the top performer for Stockton, allowing just one earned run and six hits in her complete game win. Berardi allowed three earned runs and struck out eight in game one.

Game Two

Stevens starter Brianna Sandone (Haddon Twp., N.J.) set the Ospreys down 1-2-3 in the first inning. Aurand singled in the bottom half for the Ducks but was stranded on second as the inning ended.

Grace Long (Egg Harbor, N.J.) then sent the first pitch of the second inning over the fence to dead center for the first run of the game for either side.

Senkevich led off the Stevens second with a bouncing single up the middle, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a groundout to the right side. Noelle Mulligan (Staten Island, N.Y.) came through with a clutch two-out RBI single to knot the game up.

Stockton knocked six hits in the third inning to score three runs and re-take a 4-1 lead. The Ospreys scored three more runs in the fourth on just one hit to move the score to 7-1.

The South Jersey team then scored in a fourth-consecutive inning on a first-and-third double steal that included a theft of home.

The Osprey attack was relentless, as they scored three final runs on five hits in the seventh. The Ducks had no answer for the pitching tandem of Jamie Gasko (Cinnaminson, N.J.) and Stephanie Hand (Mays Landing, N.J.), who combined to scatter seven hits and allowed just one run.

Stevens will be back in action on Saturday, when the team will host No. 20 St. John Fisher College in an Empire 8 showdown.

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