Hicks' Seventh-Inning Single Earns Doubleheader
Split with TCNJ
EWING, N.J. (4/9/07) - Junior first baseman
Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes, N.J.) drove in the
game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the
Kean University softball team a split with The College of New
Jersey in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Monday
afternoon. The Cougars (16-4, 4-2 NJAC) rallied from an early
3-0 deficit to win the nightcap, 7-6, after the Lions (11-9, 1-5
NJAC) captured the opener, 4-0.
GAME ONE: Gierke Suffers First Loss of Season
in 4-0 Setback (Boxscore)
TCNJ broke a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the fourth
inning, and the Lions plated single runs in the fifth and sixth to
earn the 4-0 victory in the opener.
The Cougars threatened to get on board in the fourth inning, as
junior third baseman Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.)
singled to right field and junior centerfielder Katy
McManus (Edison, N.J.) followed with a double.
However, Schultz was thrown out at the plate on the relay from
senior centerfielder Jen Hughes (Huntington Station,
N.Y.) to freshman shortstop Ellen Seavers
(Ridgewood, N.J.) to junior catcher Lauren
Mussachia (Westfield, N.J.).
Seavers and Hughes each played part in the scoring in the bottom
half of the inning, as Seavers led off with a double down the left
field line and Hughes followed two batters later with a homerun for
the 2-0 lead.
After the Lions extended the lead to 4-0, the Cougars threatened
again in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third
with one out, as Schultz opened the inning with a walk and
sophomore right-hander Meg Gierke (Glen Gardner,
N.J.) had a single to left field. After a wild pitch
moved the pinch runners to second and third, the Lions closed out
the game with a strikeout and groundout to earn their first NJAC
victory of the season.
Gierke suffered her first loss of the 2007 campaign, as she
allowed five hits and three earned runs while striking out seven
batters. At the plate, sophomore left fielder Jesse
Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.) was the lone Cougar with
a multi-hit game, as she finished 2-for-3.
GAME TWO: Cougars Rebound to Win on Hicks'
Single in Bottom of Seventh (Boxscore)
Junior Katie Hicks drove in classmate
Katy McManus with a two-out single in the bottom
of the seventh and sophomore right-hander Meg
Gierke bounced back after her game-one loss to throw three
hitless innings in relief to earn her 11th victory of
the season.
In the bottom of the seventh, McManus led the inning off with a
single to centerfield and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
junior catcher Vicki Lanza (Edison, N.J.).
After a forcing a Cougar groundout for the second out, Hicks
singled to drive in McManus and give the Cougars their second win
in the bottom of the seventh in their last three games.
The Cougars were forced to play catch-up throughout the entire
game, as the Lions took a 3-0 lead after two innings. Senior
right-fielder Kristin Boyer (Annandale, N.J.) led
the game off with a homerun to centerfield and then added an RBI
single in the second inning before senior left fielder
Katie Davenport (River Edge, N.J.) scored on a
fielder's choice.
Kean tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning, scoring
three runs on a pair of hits and a pair of Lion errors.
Freshman designated player Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill,
N.J.) had a RBI double and would score the third run on an
inning-extending error.
Everytime the Lions would push ahead, Kean battled right back in
the bottom half of the inning to tie the game back up. After
TCNJ took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fourth, sophomore second
baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) hit her
team-leading fourth homerun of the season to knot the game at
5-5.
TCNJ scored a single run in the top of the fifth inning on a RBI
groundout by Davenport and the Cougars responded in the bottom of
the inning, scoring a run on a sacrifice bunt by Hicks.
Gierke (11-1) shook off her first loss of the season, allowing
no hits with two strikeouts in three innings of relief.
Steinman finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored, while
McManus was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk.
The Cougars host Rutgers-Newark in a NJAC doubleheader on
Tuesday, April 10. First-pitch is set for 3 p.m.
