MAHWAH, N.J. — In their return to the northeast, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team (5-5) split a non-conference doubleheader against Ramapo College (1-1); falling to the Roadrunners 5-4 in game one before defeating the hosts 12-1 in the second game.

Pitching a complete game, Jessica Mecham (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills) allowed just one hit in game two while homers by Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) and Nicole Trani (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) helped Mecham's cause, giving the sophomore her second win of the season.

How it Happened in Game 1

After a scoreless first inning, the hosts got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when they brought runners home from second and third, giving them a 2-0 advantage. Following a pair of singles to begin their half of the third, the Bears picked up their first run of the game when Vivian Tomovich (San Diego, Calif./Serra) scored on a Hartwig double. A wild pitch brought in the tying run before Sierra Bedrin (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney) singled in Hartwig to take a 3-2 lead.

With the Bears holding on to their one-run lead going into the bottom of the fifth, the Roadrunners posted three runs on as many hits to swing the advantage in their favor, 5-3. In the sixth, Tomovich narrowed the SJC deficit on an RBI single up the middle. The Bears ended the last two innings with the tying and go-ahead runners on base, dropping game one.

How it Happened in Game 2

With Tomovich on third in the top of the first, Hartwig launched her second homer of the season, giving St. Joseph's an early 2-0 lead. Following a single by Alexis Buchanan (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta), Trani homered to left field to double the Bears' lead, 4-0.

The Roadrunners scored a run on a fielding error in the bottom of the second to come within three.

In the fourth inning, with the bases loaded, Jessica Vento (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) drove Mecham home to score the first run of the frame. Hartwig then doubled to center field, collecting a pair of RBI. Buchanan also singled to send Hartwig home, further extending the SJC lead, 8-1. 

The Bears reached double-digits by way of a Tomovich RBI single and a Vento sac fly in the top of the fifth. The navy and gray tacked on two more runs, courtesy of doubles by Hartwig and Buchanan; increasing their lead to 12-1. Mecham retired the final three Ramapo batters she faced in the bottom of the fifth as SJC took game two.

For the Bears in Game 1

• Hartwig went 2-for-4, recording a pair of hits (single, double) and an RBI
• Tomovich also went 2-for-4.
• Tayler Faraguna (San Diego, Calif./San Pasqual) rounds out the trio of Bears with two hits and a run scored, going 2-for-3.
• Bedrin went 1-for-2 with an RBI
• Three pitchers saw time in the circle for SJC, with Bedrin (1-1) being handed the loss; tossing two innings, giving up a run (earned) on a pair of hits while striking out two batters.

For the Bears in Game 2

• Each of Hartwig's hits was for extra bases (two doubles, one home run) as the sophomore went 3-for-4. She also picked up 5 RBI and scored three runs.
• Buchanan finished the game going 4-for-4 with a double, a pair of RBI and a run scored.
• Trani hit her first collegiate homer as she went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
• Vento also recorded two RBI.
• Tomovich scored three runs while logging a hit and an RBI
• Mecham (2-2) registered her best start of the season; giving up a run and a hit while fanning two batters in five innings of work. At the plate, Mecham went 2-for-3 with a pair of hits and scored as many runs.

Up Next

The Bears head down to Newark for a doubleheader against the Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders on Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available on SJCBears.com/live.