Seventh-Inning Rallies Lift Kean
Past Rutgers-Camden
UNION, N.J. (4/12/08) - The Kean University
softball team used a pair of seventh-inning rallies to defeat
Rutgers-Camden (1-0, 6-4) in a New Jersey Athletic Conference
doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Senior catcher Vicki Lanza (Edison, N.J.)
homered twice in the nightcap, as the Cougars (20-6, 7-3 NJAC)
erased a two-run deficit in top of the seventh inning to sweep the
Scarlet Raptors (3-21-1, 1-9 NJAC).
GAME ONE: Smyth, Hicks Lift Cougars in Opener,
1-0
Senior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes,
N.J.) drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly
with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead Kean to
the 1-0 victory in the opener.
In the inning, junior Sara Steinman (Springfield,
N.J.) walked to lead off the inning and sophomore
centerfielder Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt to put runners on first and
second with no outs.
After moving over to second and third on the sac bunt by senior
Vicki Lanza, Hicks (pictured right) flied out down
the right field line to score Steinman for the game-winner.
The Scarlet Raptors had their best opportunity to score runs in
the first inning after opening the game with back-to-back singles
by sophomore centerfielder Steph Klotz (Nutley, N.J.) and
freshman second baseman Brooke Keenan (Mt. Laurel,
N.J.). A sacrifice bunt moved both runners over before
the Cougars got out of the jam with a foul out and groundout to end
the scoring threat.
On the mound for Kean, freshman right-hander Courtney
Smyth (Abington, Pa.) earned the complete game shutout
victory, allowing just six hits with no walks, while striking out
four batters to improve to 9-2.
For Rutgers-Camden, junior right-hander Natalie Powell
(Williamstown, N.J.) suffered the loss, allowing just three
hits and one walk. At the plate, junior Valeri Bohn
(Delran, N.J.) was 2-of-3 for the lone multi-hit game.
GAME TWO: Four-Run Seventh Rallies Kean in Nightcap,
6-4
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the seventh inning, sophomore
designated player Allison Thibault (Garfield,
N.J.) led off with a walk and scored on a RBI double to
right center by senior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South
Plainfield, N.J.) to cut the deficit to one run.
The Cougars tied the game following a bunt single by junior left
fielder Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.), as
Hedler scored on a rundown that resulted in Buchanan advancing to
second on the late throw home. After junior second baseman
Sara Steinman advanced Buchanan over to third with
the sacrifice bunt, senior Vicki Lanza followed
two batters later with her second homerun of the game for the 6-4
edge.
Rutgers-Camden took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, taking
advantage of three hits and one Cougar error for the early
lead. Sophomore Steph Klotz led the inning off with
a single and would later score on the error for the first run of
the game.
Sophomore first baseman Amanda D'Anduono (Lanoka Harbor,
N.J.) added a RBI single to drive in senior shortstop
Kathleen Dreitlein (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) who had
singled earlier in the inning.
Kean trimmed the lead to one run in the fourth inning on Lanza's
first homerun of the game, a solo shot to left field. The
Scarlet Raptors got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, before
the Cougars again cut the lead back to one run in the top of the
sixth inning on a RBI single by senior Kara Schultz
(Clinton, N.J.)
The Scarlet Raptors extended the lead back to two runs in the
bottom of the sixth, when sophomore pitcher/third baseman Steph
Skroski (Stratford, N.J.) homered to left field.
On the mound, senior right-hander Kristen Hennings
(Jackson, N.J.) (pictured left) went the distance for the
Cougars, allowing six hits and three runs to improve to 4-3 this
season.
At the plate, Lanza and Schultz each finished with two hits,
while Hedler, Buchanan, Lizzi and Thibault each had one hit and one
run scored.
For the Scarlet Raptors, Klotz was 2-of-4 with one run scored in
the game. Skroski picked up a no decision, allowing five hits
and two earned runs in five and third innings of work.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, April 15, when they
host William Paterson University in a NJAC doubleheader at 3 p.m.
