Softball Advances Past Rowan in NJAC Tourney

EWING, N.J. (5/7/10) – Senior right-handed pitcher Cassie Shotwell singled home senior right fielder Allison Lizzi, as the Kean University softball team rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Rowan University, 4-3, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament on Friday afternoon. 

The Cougars (27-14) face sixth-seeded Richard Stockton College in the winner's bracket game on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., with the winner advancing to the championship game on Sunday.  Third-seeded Rowan (27-12) faces top-seeded The College of New Jersey in an elimination game at noon. 

It was the second straight game the Cougars rallied in the final innings to defeat a higher seeded team after Kean upset #2 Ramapo College, 2-1, in eight innings in the first round on Tuesday afternoon.

Trailing 3-2 and down to their final out with senior Allison Thibault on first base, Lizzi (pictured right) doubled to deep left center to drive in Thibault and tie the game at 3-3.  After the Profs issued an intentional walk to junior first baseman Katie Yard, Shotwell delivered the game-winning RBI single to centerfield to score Lizzi from second base and advance the Cougars in the winner's bracket.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after back-to-back lead-off walks put Thibault and junior Lindsay Kennedy on first and second base.  Rowan was able to get Thibault out at third on a fielder's choice groundout before Yard loaded the bases with a single to right field and Shotwell followed with a RBI groundout to drive in Kennedy with the game's first run.

In the top of the third inning, Rowan had a two-out rally of their own to take the lead, as senior catcher Steph Taraschi had a RBI single and sophomore Nicolina Veneziano drove in two to give the Profs a 3-1 lead.

The Cougars trimmed the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs when Kennedy, Lizzi and Yard had three straight singles up the middle, with Yard's single driving in Kennedy from second base. 

Shotwell (15-6) (pictured left) earned the win on the mound, scattering eight hits and striking out eight batters in the complete game victory.

Yard was 2-of-3 with one RBI, while Shotwell was 1-of-4 with two RBI and Lizzi was 2-of-4 with one run scored and one RBI.