Seventh-Inning Rallies Push Cougars Past
NJCU
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (4/03/07) - The Kean
University softball team rallied twice in the seventh inning of a
doubleheader sweep of New Jersey City University in New Jersey
Athletic Conference action on Tuesday afternoon. The Cougars
(15-3, 3-1 NJAC) scored seven runs in the extra frame of the first
game to win 8-1 in eight innings and then plated the game-winning
run in the bottom of the seventh of the nightcap to defeat the
Gothic Knights (4-14, 0-4 NJAC), 4-3, to earn the hard-fought
sweep.
GAME ONE: McManus Forces Extra Innings; Gierke
Tosses One-Hitter
Junior centerfielder Katy McManus (Edison,
N.J.) forced extra innings with a lead-off homerun in the
top of the seventh inning and sophomore right-hander Meg
Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) tossed a one-hitter and
allowed only run in the complete-game victory.
The Gothic Knights took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third
inning, as junior shortstop Susie Matsutani (Gallup,
N.J.) had the lone hit with a two-out RBI double.
McManus finally got the Cougars on board at just the right time,
as she led off the seventh inning with her second homer of the
season to tie the game and force extra innings.
In the eighth, junior third baseman Kara Schultz
(Clinton, N.J.) delivered with a two-run single through
the left side to drive in the game-winning runs, and the Cougars
tacked on five more runs in the inning to secure
the victory.
Gierke went the distance as she recorded eight strikeouts.
For the Gothic Knights sophomore right-hander Andrea
Delucrezia (Belleville, N.J.) had a three-hit shutout
going until the top of the seventh inning before taking the
loss.
GAME TWO: Steinman Drives in Game-Winning Run;
Gierke Improves to 10-0
Sophomore second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield,
N.J.) drove in junior shortstop Johanna Hedler
(South Plainfield, N.J.) in the bottom of the seventh
inning with a one-out single to right-field to give the Cougars the
victory in the nightcap.
After the Gothic Knights tied the game in the top of the
seventh, scoring one run on a pair of hits, Hedler led off the
bottom half of the inning with a single through the left
side. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by
sophomore Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.)
and to third on a passed ball, Steinman singled to right field to
drive in Hedler.
The Cougars erased a 1-0 Gothic Knight lead with a three-run fifth
inning, as junior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes,
N.J.) had the big hit of the inning with a two-run single
up the middle.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Meg Gierke
improved to 10-0 after allowing only three hits and two earned runs
with eight strikeouts in six innings of relief.
Freshman right-fielder Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill,
N.J.) was the lone Cougar to record a multi-hit game, as
she went 2-for-3 with one run scored.
The Cougars are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday,
April 4, when they travel to FDU-Florham for a non-conference
doubleheader at 3 p.m.
Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore
