SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH ROWAN IN NJAC OPENER

The Kean University softball team held off a seventh inning rally by Rowan University, to win the team's New Jersey Athletic Conference opener, 7-6, in the first game of the afternoon's doubleheader.  The Cougar bats were silenced in the second game, as Kean fell to the Profs, 6-1, in the nightcap.  With the split, Kean is 13-3 overall, 1-1 NJAC, while Rowan is 13-7 overall, 1-1 NJAC. 

GAME ONE: COUGARS HOLD OFF ROWAN RALLY, 7-6

Junior centerfielder Katy McManus (Edison, N.J.) was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a homerun and four RBI and the Cougars held off a seventh-inning Rowan rally to win the opener, 7-6.

The Cougars got on the board in the first inning, scoring two runs on three hits to take the 2-0 lead.  McManus delivered with two outs, hitting a two-run double to centerfield to score junior third baseman Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.) and sophomore second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.).

Kean tacked on a single run in the second inning, as junior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield, N.J.) had an RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.  The Profs got a pair of unearned runs back in the top of the third on a RBI bunt single by senior first baseman Jamie Assini (Deptford, N.J.) and sacrifice bunt by junior second baseman Lauren Navarro (West Milford, N.J.) to trim the deficit to one run at 3-2.

In the bottom of the inning, junior catcher Vicki Lanza (Edison, N.J.) had an RBI single to drive in Schultz, who led the inning off with a double, to push the lead out to 4-2. 

The Cougars added what would prove to be the decisive runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.  With two outs, sophomore left fielder Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.) scored on a wild pitch before McManus homered over the centerfield fence for her first round-tripper of the year with the two-run shot, giving Kean the 7-2 advantage.

In the top of the seventh inning, Rowan got back in the game as the first five batters of the inning got on base.  After a walk and a single by sophomore Kristina Brenner (Vineland, N.J.) and senior Stacy Haas (Florence, N.J.), respectively, led off the inning, Assini had an RBI single to right field and would advance to second on an error to put runners on second and third with no outs. 

Navarro followed with a double to drive in Haas and Assini to pull within 7-5.  Junior Kristin Wallace (Glassboro, N.J.) beat out an infield single, giving the Profs runners on first and third with no outs.  Senior designated player Jen Lake (Carneys Point, N.J.) had a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Assini and cut the deficit to one run.  The Cougars forced the final two outs of the inning two batters later to preserve the victory.

In the win, Hedler, Buchanan, Schultz and Lanza were each 2-for-4, while junior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes , N.J.) and Steinman each added one hit.  On the mound, sophomore right-hander Meg Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) improved to 8-0 this season, as she allowed just four earned runs and had five strikeouts.

For Rowan, Assini was the lone Prof with a multi-hit game, as she finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.  On the mound, sophomore right-hander Danielle Lawlor (Fair Lawn, N.J.) suffered only her second loss of the season, as she fell to 8-2 this season.

GAME TWO: Rowan Prevails Behind Riegel, Carangelo

Junior right-hander Amanda Riegel limited the Cougars to just three hits and junior shortstop Sarah Carangelo (Sewell, N.J.) had a three-run homerun to lift Rowan University to the 6-1 victory in the nightcap to earn the split on the afternoon.

The Cougars got on the board first, as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.  Junior shortstop Johanna Hedler had her third double of the afternoon to lead off the inning, advanced to third on the sacrifice bunt by sophomore Jesse Buchanan and would score the team's lone run on an RBI single by sophomore Sara Steinman.

Rowan came right back in the bottom half of the inning, as they took the lead for good on an RBI single by junior third baseman Kristin Wallace and RBI double by senior designated player Kim Ryan (Monmouth Junction, N.J.) for the 2-1 lead. 

The Profs added a single run in the fourth inning before Carangelo's homer in the fifth inning broke the game open. 

In the victory, Wallace finished 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI, while freshman right fielder Heidi Smith (Hainesport, N.J.) was 3-for-3 with one runs scored.  On the mound, Riegel recorded five strikeouts as she evened her record at 5-5 with the complete game victory.

For the Cougars, Steinman had one hit and three walks, while junior centerfielder Katy McManus finished 1-for-3.  Junior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson, N.J.) suffered the loss, allowing 11 hits and six runs to fall to 4-2.

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, April 3, when they travel to Jersey City, N.J., to take on New Jersey City University for a NJAC doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.