Softball Splits with Rutgers-Camden
in NJAC Opener
UNION, N.J. (4/3/10) – The Kean
University softball team split its New Jersey Athletic Conference
doubleheader opener with Rutgers-Camden on Saturday afternoon, as
the Cougars won the first game, 5-4, and the Scarlet Raptors held
on in the second game, 7-6.
The Cougars (11-5, 1-1 NJAC) scored one run in the bottom of the
seventh inning for the win in the opener, and had the tying run in
scoring position in the nightcap, before the Scarlet Raptors (12-5,
1-1 NJAC) closed out the game to earn the split.
GAME ONE: Yard Drives in Game-Winning Run with
Walk-Off Sacrifice Fly
Junior Katie Yard (Hillsborough, N.J.) drove in
left-fielder Lindsay Kennedy (Parsippany, N.J.)
with a fly ball to deep centerfielder in the bottom of the seventh
inning to give the Cougars a 5-4, come-from-behind victory over
Rutgers-Camden in the opener.
Tied at 4-4 entering bottom of the seventh inning, Kennedy
(pictured right) led the inning off with a single up the
middle. After a sacrifice bunt from shortstop Alicia
Banz (Carteret, N.J.) moved Kennedy over to second base,
seniors Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and
Cassie Shotwell (Dunellen, N.J.) had back-to-back
walks to load the bases for Yard with one out, who followed with
the deep sacrifice fly to score Kennedy.
Rutgers-Camden took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning,
as junior second baseman Brooke Keenan (Mt. Laurel, N.J.)
led off the game with and would eventually score on a wild
pitch.
The Cougars scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the
inning to take a 2-1 lead when Lizzi doubled to right field to
drive in freshman right fielder Katie Schuh (Mount Holly,
N.J.) and Kennedy, who had a single and double,
respectively, to lead off the inning.
In the top of the third inning, the Scarlet Raptors took
advantage of three doubles to score three runs to regain the lead
at 4-2. Senior first baseman Amanda D'Anduono
(Lanoka Harbor, N.J.) doubled down the left-field line to lead
off the inning and would score on a single by third baseman
Steph Skroski (Stratford, N.J.) to tie the game.
Sophomore centerfielder Beth Speakman (Erial, N.J.)
followed with a double to right-center to score Skroski, and
Speakman would come around to score when rookie Lindsay
Snajkowski (Pennsville, N.J.) double to right field.
With the Cougars trailing 4-2, Yard (pictured left) led off the
sixth inning with a single and two batters later, senior designated
player Alison Thibault (Garfield, N.J.) slapped
the ball past the drawn in outfield for a triple to drive in rookie
Sam Gniazdowski (Union, N.J.), who pinch ran for
Yard. Dietrich followed with a single to drive in Thibault to
tie the game at 4-4.
Thibault finished 2-of-3 with one RBI and one run scored,
while Kennedy was 2-of-4 with two runs scored. As a team, the
Cougars had 11 hits from nine different players.
On the mound, Shotwell (6-2) earned the complete game
victory, scattering seven hits and four earned runs with five
strikeouts.
For Rutgers-Camden, Snajkwoski was 1-of-3 with two RBI, while
senior right-hander Ashley Jimenez (Bellmawr, N.J.)
suffered the loss after surrendering 11 hits and five earned runs,
while striking out five Cougars.
GAME TWO: Rutgers-Camden Hangs On For 7-6
Win
The Cougars scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning and
had the tying run on second base with one out, however
Rutgers-Camden freshman right-hander Lindsay Snajkowski
forced a fly out and groundout to end the game and earn the split
of the doubleheader.
Trailing 7-4 entering the seventh inning, centerfielder
Allison Lizzi led off with a double to
right-center and first baseman Katie Yard followed
with a single to centerfield to put runners on the corners with no
outs. After a pop-out, rookie third baseman Courtney
Melchionna (Linden, N.J.) drove in Lizzi with a grounder
that was subsequently misplayed, allowing her to reach first base
and put runners on first and second base with just one out.
Senior Allison Thibault followed with a RBI
single up the middle, to drive in pinch runner Sam
Gniazdowski from second base and pull the Cougars to
within 7-6. However, Snajkowski forced a fly out to right
field and handled the grounder back to the mound to end the game.
The Scarlet Raptors broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth
inning, when they sent 10 batters to the plate for six hits and
scored all five of their runs with two outs.
With the bases loaded, Steph Skroski delivered the big
hit with a bases-clearing double and centerfielder Beth
Speakman and shortstop Christina Tamburrino (Williamstown,
N.J.) each had RBI singles to give Rutgers-Camden a 6-1 lead.
In the top of half of the next inning, the Cougars cut into the
lead with three runs to pull within 6-4. Rookie Katie
Schuh, junior Lindsay Kennedy and
sophomore Alicia Banz opened the inning with three
straight singles to load the bases, before Lizzi followed with the
fourth straight single to drive in Schuh and Kennedy. Yard
followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Banz from
third and pull the Cougars to within a pair of runs.
The Scarlet Raptors took advantage of a Cougar error in the
bottom of the sixth inning to score the crucial seventh run of the
game, as Skroski scored after doubling down the left field line to
lead off the inning.
Skroski was 3-of-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, while
Speakman and Tamburrino were each 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run
scored. Snajkowski (6-2) went the distance to earn the win,
as she had five strikeouts, while scattering 12 hits and six earned
runs.
Schuh, Kennedy, Banz, Lizzi and Thibault each had multi-hit
games, as Lizzi drove in two and Schuh scored twice to lead the
way.
Junior Courtney Smyth (Abington, Pa.) took the
loss to fall to 5-3, as she struck out a season-high nine batters,
while scattering 12 hits.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, April 6, when they host
The College of New Jersey in a NJAC doubleheader. First pitch
is set for 3 p.m.
