Softball Splits in Florida
Action
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (3/19/09) - In
their fourth day of games at the Rebel Spring Games, the Kean
University Cougars split against Westminster College and Illinois
Wesleyan University in non-conference softball action on Thursday
afternoon.
GAME ONE: Cougars Hold Off Westminster for 9-8
Victory
Senior second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield,
N.J.) and rookie Alicia Banz (Carteret,
N.J.) each homered and the Cougars (5-5) held off a
seventh-inning rally to defeat 
Westminster College, 9-8, in Thursday afternoon's opener. In
the victory, all nine Cougar batters recorded at least one hit.
Trailing 2-0 after the first inning, the Cougars loaded the
bases with one out, as senior Nikki Castagno (Staten
Island, N.Y.) and sophomore Sarah Hamm
(Hackettstown, N.J.) each had singles and Banz
walked. Castagno scored on a passed ball to trim the deficit
to 2-1 before Steinman (pictured right) homered to straightaway
centerfield to give the Cougars the 4-2 lead.
Kean extended the lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning
when sophomore left fielder Lindsay Kennedy (Parsippany,
N.J.) singled to drive in Steinman and senior
Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.), who had
each walked earlier in the inning and took advantage of a
Westminster error to advance into scoring position.
The Titans tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning,
scoring four runs on four hits. After RBI singles by
sophomore Lis Schulz (Gibsonia, Pa.) and junior Sarah
Woodward (Beaver, Pa.), the Titans tied the game on a two-run
double by sophomore Ashley Beltz (Elwood City, Pa.).
In the bottom half of the inning the Cougars regained the lead for
good, as Banz (pictured left) led off with her team-leading second
homerun of the season. The Cougars added the important
insurance runs on a RBI double by junior centerfielder
Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and RBI single
by sophomore third baseman Katie Yard (Hillsborough,
N.J.) for the 9-6 edge.
The Titans plated two runs in the seventh inning and had the
bases loaded before junior Cassie Shotwell (Dunellen,
N.J.) struck out the final batter to earn the save.
On the mound, sophomore Courtney Smyth (Abington,
Pa.) improved to 2-3 after scattering 12 hits, while
making six strikeouts.
With her first homerun of the season, Steinman tied the
program's career homerun record of 12, set by Michelle
Baiera (2003-06). She was 1-of-1 in the game with
three runs scored, three RBI and two walks. Yard finished
2-of-4, while seven other Cougars recorded hits.
GAME TWO: Five-Run Third Lifts Illinois
Wesleyan Past Kean, 5-1
Illinois Wesleyan scored five runs on five hits, including a
pair of homeruns, in the third inning to defeat Kean, 5-1, in the
nightcap.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when
junior Allison Lizzi had an RBI groundout to score
senior Jesse Buchanan, who had led the game off
with a walk.
In the third inning, the Titans opened the inning with three
straight singles before junior Allison Ward (Bloomington,
Ill.) and senior Valerie Hackett (New Lenox, Ill.)
followed with back-to-back homeruns. Ward hit a grand slam to
right-center and Hackett blasted a solo shot over the centerfield
fence for the 5-1 lead.
On the mound, junior Cassie Shotwell suffered
her first loss of the season (3-1), scattering eight hits and three
strikeouts in the complete game.
For the Titans (8-0), junior right-hander Christy Engel (St.
Charles, Ill.) earned the complete game victory, striking out
eight batters and allowing just three hits.
