Taylor Cwalinski Pitches Perfect Game in JWU Softball Victory over Suffolk

Providence, R.I. – Senior Taylor Cwalinski (Jackson, N.J.) notched a perfect game, striking out 13 of the 15 batters faced in five innings to give the Wildcats an 8-0 win in the first game of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double header against Suffolk at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletics Complex on Sunday afternoon.  JWU capped off the sweep with a 5-2 win in the second game of the twin bill.  Cwalinksi and fellow senior Tayla Gardner (Orangeburg, N.Y.) were honored in a ceremony prior to the game. 

After Cwalinski struck out the side in the top of the first, Johnson & Wales got all the offense they would need in the bottom of the first after a two-run single by freshman Diana Amendolara (Newtown, Pa.) made the score 2-0.  The Wildcats added to their lead in the bottom of the third when they plated three runs, including a two-run double to left from Amendolara.  JWU upped its lead to 7-0 with two more in the fourth on a run scoring groundout by freshman Emily Gorecki (Bremerton, Wash.) and an RBI single by sophomore Kristen Solari (Old Bridge, N.J.).  In the top of the fifth, sophomore Jessica George (Andover, N.H.) hit a one out single and came around to score the game-winning run on a double to left from freshman Kaycee Babineau (Medway, Mass.) to give the Wildcats the 8-0 victory.  Amendolara went 2-for-3 with a run and four RBI while Solari, Babineau and sophomore Cynthia Proby (Bremerton, Wash.) each had two hits in the victory for the Wildcats.  Cwalinski struck out the first nine batters of the game en route to her 13 on the day.

The nightcap saw JWU again take the early lead as Gardner led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a single by Gorecki.  Cwalinski, who singled earlier in the frame, scored on a sacrifice fly by Proby to take the 2-0 advantage.  The Wildcats extended their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run homerun to deep center field by Amendolara.  Suffolk chipped away at the lead in the top of the sixth when a two-run double by freshman Lindsay Pagano (Wyckoff, N.J.) cut the lead to 5-2.  That would be all the scoring for the day, however as JWU held on for the 5-2 victory.  Gardner picked up her 15th win of the year with the complete game, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts along the way.  Amendolara went 3-for-3 with one run and three RBI in the win for JWU while Gardner helped herself at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Wildcats

With the sweep, JWU is now 22-8 overall and 13-3 in GNAC play while Suffolk falls to 10-20 and 4-10 in league action.  The Wildcats are back in action on Tuesday, April 15th when they host intra-state rival Roger Williams in a non-conference twin bill at 3:00 p.m.

*Release courtesy of JWU Sports Information Dept.