WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (March 4, 2023) – Sophomore Madison Subbiondo hit a go-ahead homer in the third inning as the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team defeated William Paterson University 5-3 Saturday to salvage a split of their doubleheader at Waterfront Park.

Fifth-year Meg Halloran had a pair of hits and an RBI and senior Elise Fauske stole a base and scored a key insurance run in the seventh as the Ducks closed play with a 3-3 record.

Carly McDaniel went 3 for 3 to lead William Paterson, who was playing its season opener. The Pioneers closed play with a 1-1 record. The Ducks have won seven of the last nine contests between the programs.

"Overall team effort today," head coach Emily Kaczmarek said. "Game one wasn't the outcome we wanted, but we were resilient in our offensive efforts to give us a chance to win. I am pleased with the way our group carried the offensive energy into game two. We're just trying to get a little better every single day."

First-year Ella Tozduman (2-1) settled down after a shaky start to spin her first career complete game. The Lyndhurst, New Jersey native allowed three runs, one earned, and struck out two. Tozduman allowed just two hits after the third inning and at one point, retired eight straight Pioneers. 

Subbiondo's blast to left center was the first of her career and snapped a 3-3 tie. The blast came off William Paterson's Gabriella Brancaccio (0-1), who allowed the Ducks' final two runs of the contest to take the loss. 

The Ducks struck early against William Paterson starter Lindsey Acker. Junior Jessica Guerrero led the game off with a walk. Halloran and sophomore Rachael Prescott each singled to load the bases. Graduate student Siobhan Cottell reached on a fielder's choice to drive in a run. Subbiondo reached on a fielding error but was caught in a rundown between first and second. As Subbiondo and Cottell danced between the bases, Prescott scampered home with the second run of the inning.

The Pioneers answered with two runs in the second on a dropped fly ball only for the Ducks to answer with a run on a based loaded walk that forced a pitching change. Acker allowed three runs on three hits in just 1 2-3 innings of work.

Following Subbiondo's long ball, the Ducks scratched a run across in the sixth. First-year Emily Wohlleber reached on a throwing error by Anna Nunziato. Fauske ran for the Ducks' backstop at first and promptly stole second. Sophomore Emma Ruiz sacrificed Fauske to third and Guerrero lofted a sacrifice fly to left to score the run.

The opener saw William Paterson escape with an 8-6 victory in nine innings.

Interestingly enough, the teams combined for just eight hits through seven scoreless innings, but totaled 14 runs on nine hits in the final two. After pinch-runner Lauren Hutchison was placed at second to start the eighth, the Pioneers struck for the first runs of the game on a homer by Jillian Bigos. 

The Ducks rallied for two runs off Jaelynn Miller (1-0) in their half of the inning. After Guerrero was placed at second, Halloran placed a perfectly-placed bunt inside the first-base line to put two runners on. However, William Paterson didn't cover second base, which allowed Halloran to scamper to second. While the defense was paying attention to the Ducks' fleet-footed outfielder, Guerrero broke for home and scored. After a flyout, Cottell evened the game with an RBI groundout. Miller would walk the next two batters, but Tozduman, who entered as a pinch-runner was cut down at the plate. 

The Pioneers struck for six runs in the ninth off Kreis (1-2) and first-year Kyra Fischer. Bigos and McDaniel each had two-run hits in the frame as William Paterson sent nine batters to the plate to take an 8-2 lead. Kreis allowed five runs on four hits over 8 1-3 innings.

The Ducks scored four runs in the ninth to bring the tying run to the on-deck circle. Cottell began the inning at second base and scored on an infield single by Fauske. After a walk, Guerrero had a two-run double to left and Prescott followed two batters later with a single to pull the Ducks within two. But Miller retired the next two batters to close out the victory.

Across both ends of the doubleheader, Halloran had five hits and Guerrero had three RBI.

Up Next: Softball has a quick turnaround as the Ducks welcome New York University to Waterfront Park Sunday afternoon. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. and links for live stats and video are posted to StevensDucks.com. NYU has won four of the last five meetings between the programs.

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