Softball Defeats Nichols, Falls to
CSI in Season Opener
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (3/13/10) – The Kean
University softball team opened up the season with a split, as they
defeated Nichols College (6-4) in the season opener, before falling
to College of Staten Island (4-2) at the Rebel Spring Games.
In the opener against Nichols, four players had multiple hits, as
sophomore Alicia Banz (Carteret, N.J.) led the
Cougars with two hits (2-for-3) and three RBI. On the mound,
junior Courtney Smyth (Abington, Pa.) went the distance to pick up
the win, as she struck out six batters and scattered seven
hits.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as
senior centerfielder Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill,
N.J.) had a sacrifice fly to drive in junior
Lindsey Kennedy (Parsippany, N.J.), who led the
game off with a walk and would eventually advance to third on a
passed ball.
An inning later, the Cougars plated four more runs on a RBI
single by Kennedy and a bases loaded triple by Banz (pictured
right) to take a 5-0 lead.
After Nichols picked up a run in the fifth inning, Kean senior
Melissa Dietrich (Carteret, N.J.) had a RBI single
to extend the lead to 6-1 in the top of the sixth inning.
Nichols made the game close in the seventh, scoring three runs
on four straight, two-out singles, before Smyth struck out the
final batter to pick up her first win of the season.
Dietrich had a pair of hits and rookies Courtney
Melchionna (Linden, N.J.) and Katie Schuh (Mount
Holly, N.J.) each had two hits and one run scored in their
first career game.
The Cougars face Illinois Wesleyan University and Anderson
University on Sunday, March 14.
