Softball Rebounds Against Behrend; Falls to
Rhode Island
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (3/14/07) - The Kean University
split in action on Wednesday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games,
as they dropped their first game of the season to Rhode Island
College (1-0) in the team's first game of the day. The Cougars
rebounded with a 9-0 shutout over Penn State-Behrend to improve to
7-1 this season.
GAME ONE: COUGARS DROP FIRST GAME OF SEASON, 1-0
In the top of the third inning, Rhode Island scored the game's lone
run as junior Krystal Bilek (Fitchburg, Mass.) had
an RBI single up the middle to score junior Christie Lotti
(Waterford, Conn.), who had singled to lead off the inning.
The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning, as junior
shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield, N.J.)
had a one-out double. Sophomore left fielder Jesse Buchanan
(Washington Twp., N.J.) moved Hedler over to third with a
single to right field and would advance to second on the throw.
However, Rhode Island senior right-hander Nicole Riley
(North Providence, R.I.) struck out the final two batters
of the inning to preserve the lead.
Kean junior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson,
N.J.) went the distance in the losing effort, as she
allowed just five hits and one walk, while striking out three
batters in falling to 2-1 on the season.
At the plate, Hedler was 2-for-4, while Buchanan, sophomore second
baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) and
junior third baseman Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.)
each added a hit.
GAME TWO: STEINMAN, SCHULTZ HIT FIRST CAREER HOMERUNS
Sophomore second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield,
N.J.) and junior third baseman Kara Schultz
(Clinton, N.J.) hit back-to-back homeruns to start a
five-run fifth inning, as the Cougars rebounded from their first
loss of the season to defeat Penn State-Behrend, 9-0. Sophomore
right-hander Meg Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) was
solid on the mound, as she tossed her second two-hit shutout of the
season.
The Cougars jumped on top of the Nittany Lions in the first inning,
as junior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield,
N.J.) walked to lead off the game. After moving over to
second base on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore left fielder
Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.), Hedler
would score two batters later on a double by junior third baseman
Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.).
Kean tacked another run in the fourth inning, as junior
centerfielder Katy McManus (Edison, N.J.) doubled
and would score on an RBI single by Gierke.
In the game-breaking fifth inning, Steinman and Schultz both went
deep, as they each hit their first career homeruns to build the 4-0
lead. Junior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes,
N.J.) added a RBI double and the Cougars scored two more
runs on an error to extend the lead to 7-0.
In the sixth inning, Hicks drove in two more runs on a RBI single
to give the Cougars the 9-0 six-inning victory.
Gierke had 12 strikeouts and allowed only one walk as she recorded
her second complete game shutout of the season to improve to
4-0.
Kean closes out the team's spring trip on Friday, March 16, when
they take on Springfield College (1 p.m.) and Coast Guard Academy
(5 p.m.).
