Baruch Softball Splits Doubleheader at New Jersey City

Bearcats rally for 5-4 win in opener before falling 9-2 in second game

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:24am

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The Baruch College softball team earned a split in a Thursday afternoon doubleheader against New Jersey City University, rallying for a 5-4 win in the opener before falling 9-2 in the second game at NJCU.

Why it matters

The doubleheader split marks Baruch's fourth of the season as the team continues its strong play in the early part of the year. The results also set the stage for the Bearcats' upcoming CUNYAC conference opener against York College.

The details

In the first game, Baruch trailed 3-2 after four innings before erupting for three runs in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. Ava Lavery delivered a key RBI single, and Leilani Jimenez followed with an RBI single that drove in Mia Faddah. A NJCU fielding error allowed an additional run to score. Reina Castro-Johnson earned the complete-game win, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to preserve the 5-4 victory. In the second game, Baruch jumped out to a 2-0 lead on RBI hits from Kaitlyn Belfield and Mina Barriga, but NJCU responded with three runs in the third and five more in the fourth to pull away for a 9-2 win.

  • The doubleheader was played on Thursday, March 27, 2026.
  • Baruch will return to action on Wednesday, April 1, the first day of Baruch Spring Break, with a CUNYAC doubleheader at York College.

The players

Reina Castro-Johnson

The Baruch pitcher earned the complete-game win in the first game, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning to preserve the 5-4 victory.

Ava Lavery

The Baruch player delivered a key RBI single and scored two runs in the first game.

Leilani Jimenez

The Baruch player had an RBI single that drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning of the first game.

Kaitlyn Belfield

The Baruch player doubled down the left-field line to bring in the game's first run in the second inning of the second game.

Mina Barriga

The Baruch player hit a sacrifice fly RBI in the third inning of the second game to give Baruch an early 2-0 lead.

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What’s next

Baruch will open CUNYAC play with a doubleheader at York College on Wednesday, April 1, the first day of Baruch Spring Break.

The takeaway

Despite the split, Baruch's softball team continues to show resilience and strong play in the early part of the season, setting the stage for their upcoming CUNYAC conference opener against York College.