Softball Falls in Opening Game of
NCAA Tourney
GLASSBORO, N.J. (5/8/08) - The Kean University
softball team opened the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament,
falling to Western Connecticut State University, 2-0, on Thursday
morning.
The fifth-seeded Colonials (29-13), avenged a 2-1 loss to the
fourth-seeded Cougars (30-15) from earlier in the season when the
two teams met at the Rebel Spring Games in March. The Cougars face
the loser of the Mount Union College/Hunter College game on Friday,
May 9, at 10 a.m., in an elimination game.
For the Cougars, rookie Courtney Smyth (Abington,
Pa.) suffered the loss, allowing no earned runs and just
five hits in the game.
With two outs in the second inning, sophomore Katelyn
Farrell (Stratford, Conn.) singled and advanced to second base
on a passed ball. Senior Megan Brunell (North Attleboro,
Mass.) followed with a single to centerfield to drive in
Farrell for the game's first run of the game.
The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the third when senior
shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield, N.J.)
doubled to right-center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt
by junior Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp.,
N.J.). Colonial right-hander Shelby Slie
(Seymour, Conn.) forced the groundout to close out the
inning and keep the Cougars off the board.
In the fourth inning, WestConn tacked on the insurance run,
taking advantage of two Cougar errors to extend the lead to 2-0.
Slie earned the complete game, shutout victory, allowing just
three hits and one walk to improve to 16-5.
