Softball Wins 20th Game of the Season
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (4/18/07) - Sophomore second
baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) hit her
team-leading sixth homerun of the season and sophomore Meg
Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) allowed just two hits, as the
Kean University softball team defeated host DeSales University,
6-0, in the nightcap to earn the doubleheader split. The
Cougars won their 20th game of the year (20-6), while DeSales is
9-15 with their fifth straight doubleheader split after winning the
opener, 3-0.
GAME ONE: Cougars Fall in Opener, 3-0
Boxscore
Junior third baseman Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.)
had a pair of hits, however DeSales Senior Elise Wilk
(Philadelphia, Pa.) struck out seven Cougars and allowed
just five base-runners in the 3-0 Bulldog win.
Wilk got all the run support she needed in the first inning, as
sophomore Amanda Kensecki (Bethlehem, Pa.) knocked
in freshman Kyra Monarek (Allentown, Pa.) for the
first run. Sophomore Kelly Moran (Bethlehem,
pa.) added a RBI double and freshman Kerri Andrews
(Bethlehem, Pa.) singled home Kensecki to account for the
scoring in the opener.
On the mound for Kean, junior Kristen Hennings (Jackson,
N.J.) had four strikeouts and allowed just two hits the
rest of way, however she dropped to 4-4 with the loss.
GAME TWO: Steinman, Gierke Lead Cougars to 20th
Win Boxscore
Sophomore Sara Steinman tied the single-season
homerun record with a first-inning blast and sophomore Meg
Gierke earned her 12th complete game of the season with
the 6-0 victory in the nightcap.
Junior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield,
N.J.) led off the game with a single through the left side
and Steinman followed two batters later with the two-run shot to
left field to give the Cougars the 2-0 lead after the first
inning. With her sixth homerun of the season, Steinman ties
current Kean centerfielder Katy McManus (Edison,
N.J.) for the single season homerun record. McManus
set the mark a year ago in her first season with the Cougars.
In the fifth inning, Kean added a pair of insurance runs as
junior Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.) doubled to
score both Hedler and Steinman. Steinman added a two RBI
double in the seventh inning to close out the scoring for the
Cougars.
On the mound, Gierke had five strikeouts and allowed just two
hits and one walk as she improved to 15-1 this season. Her 15
wins moves her into a fifth place tie for wins in a season.
At the plate, Steinman was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and four
RBI, while Hedler finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs
scored.
The Cougars return to action on Thursday, April 19, when they
travel to William Paterson University for a New Jersey Athletic
Conference doubleheader at 3 p.m.
