#9 MIDDLESEX COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES TWO DRAMATIC WINS OVER MORRIS TO MOVE TO 18-2

Middlesex College used two dramatic late rallies to sweep County College of Morris as the Colts moved to 18-2 overall on the season.

Middlesex, currently ranked #9 in the latest NJCAA National Poll, used a 10-run sixth in Game 1 and scored two in the bottom of the eighth for an extra-inning win in Game 2 to defeat the Titans.

In Game 1, the Colts were down 3-1 heading into the fifth inning when the Titans added three more to extend their lead to 6-1. They added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth and took what looked to be an insurmountable 8-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

The Colts bats had stayed quiet to that point, but erupted in the bottom of the sixth for 10 runs to give Middlesex the improbable 11-8 win.

Samirrah Ortiz (Sophomore/Woodbridge, NJ) led the way for Middlesex going 3-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Kelsey Geurts (Freshman/South Plainfield, NJ) went 2-4 with a run and two RBIs. Madison Rackett also went 2-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI.

Ava Austin (Freshman/Edison, NJ) got the start in the circle for Middlesex and pitched the first five innings. Geurts picked up the win in an inning of relief while Rackett pitched the seventh to lock down the save.

Middlesex had to battle back in Game 2 as the Colts fell behind 1-0 in the first and were down 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. Middlesex tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh sending the game to extra innings. After Morris pushed across a run to take a lead in the top of the eighth, the Colts scored two in the bottom of the frame for the walk off victory.

The winning run scored when Ortiz hit a foul pop behind the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. Morris made the catch, but the runner at third, Makenzie Marsh (Sophomore/Middlesex, NJ) realized nobody was covering home, so she made a dash for the plate and scored standing up.

Marsh also went 2-4 with a run and an RBI to pace the Colts on offense. Leah Kripaitis (Sophomore/Woodbridge, NJ) went 2-3 and Austin drove in two RBIs for Middlesex.

Rackett went the distance in the circle, allowing just two earned runs over eight innings.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Colts are second in the Region 19 standings behind RCS-Gloucester, a team they split with earlier this season. Middlesex returns to action on Tuesday when they travel to Camden CC for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30PM.