Box Score Video Highlights 

WAYNE, N.J. – The No. 17 William Paterson softball team (30-8, 15-3 NJAC) earned a 6-1 victory against fifth-seeded Richard Stockton (21-15, 9-9 NJAC) in Game 4 of the double-elimination New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Softball Tournament May 2.
 
The Pioneers advance to play in Game 8 of the NJAC Tournament Saturday, May 3, at 12:00 p.m. against a team to be determined. With the loss, Stockton was eliminated from the tournament.
 
With their backs against the proverbial wall after losing their tourney opener May 1, the Pioneers staked themselves to a 3-0 lead during the top of the first inning. Junior outfielder Kelsey Principe (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) and senior shortstop Katelyn Miele (Flanders, N.J./Pope John XXIII) had back-to-back singles with one out, and sophomore outfielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) doubled in Principe with a liner to left field, and the throw home got away from catcher Nicole Scanlon, allowing Miele to scamper home. An infield ground ball by freshman third baseman Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) during the next at-bat resulted in a rundown that was enough for Wimmershoff to cross the plate, making it a 3-0 WP advantage.
 
Osprey sophomore shortstop Gianna Caffari was hit by a pitch, was sacrificed to second and scored when sophomore third baseman Samantha Shockey sent an RBI-single to left, making it a 3-1 score after one.
 
Freshman catcher Kim Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) singled to the pitcher to start the top of the second and junior first baseman Melissa Swain (West Berlin, N.J./Paul VI) was hit by a pitch. Freshman right fielder Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) then sent a one-out grounder back up the middle, and again the throw to the plate got past Scanlon and to the backstop, inducing Kim Fryer to sprint home and make it a 4-1 margin.
 
WP tacked on two more insurance runs during the top half of the fourth inning. Freshman Meghin Stanton (Chesterfield, N.J./ Northern Burlington Regional) had a leadoff, pinch-hit single up the middle before Swain reached on a fielder's choice. Nicole Fryer walked to leave runners on first and second, and a Miele base hit to left combined with a fielding error made it a 6-1 score.
 
Miele was 2-for-3 and scored a run, and Wimmershoff finished 1-for-4 with an RBI-double and run. Freshman pitcher Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) improved to 9-5, allowing one run on eight hits while walking one and striking out two in the complete-game effort.
 
Senior catcher Nicole Chabak and freshman outfielder Holly Arentowicz each recorded two hits for the Ospreys. Junior Brittany Ksiezopolski (9-7) took the loss, giving up six runs (one earned) on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Senior Michelle Pietrocola allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two batters in 3.2 innings of relief.
 
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