GLASSBORO, N.J. (5/6/11) – The Kean University softball team advanced in the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs with a 6-3 win over Ramapo College in the second round of the NJAC tournament on Friday afternoon.
Senior right-hander Courtney Smyth (pictured left) scattered seven hits for the sixth-seeded Cougars (14-24), who advance to face #5 The College of New Jersey, a 1-0 winner over #3 William Paterson University, on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Kean knocks out the fourth-seeded Roadrunners (26-10) with its third win over Ramapo this season, as they extended its winning streak to a season-long five straight games.
The defending NJAC champions, the Cougars took a 1-0 lead two batters into the game, as junior shortstop Alicia Banz took the first pitch of the game and ripped a double to right-center and rookie Megan Cegielski slapped a single up the middle to drive in Banz from second.
After Smyth retired the first six batters of the game, with five outs coming in the air, Kean extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Banz opened the inning when she led off with her second double of the game and freshman Sandra Binkiewicz walked, before sophomore third baseman Courtney Melchionna had a two-out single to drive in Banz and Binkiewicz would score from second on the outfield error for the 3-0 advantage.
The Roadrunners got a run back in the bottom of the inning on sacrifice fly by left fielder Caitlin Smith to trim the lead to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Cougars pushed the lead out to 6-1 as they took advantage of a pair of two-out Roadrunner errors. Binkiewicz and Melchionna reached on back-to-back errors, the latter of which allowed Binkiewicz to score from first base. A single by senior catcher Nicole Scarillo put runners on the corners and freshman designated player Kelly Moorehead double to right center to drive in both for the 6-1 lead.
Ramapo scored once in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by centerfielder Tiffany Fischer to pull within 6-2 and would scored another in the bottom of the seventh inning with the tying run at the plate following an inning-extending error, however the Cougars recorded the final out to advance in the winner's bracket.
Banz, Cegielski (pictured right) and Moorehead each had two hits, with Banz scoring twice and Moorehead driving in a pair of runs.
Second baseman Amanda Kent was 3-of-3 with two runs scored, while shortstop Kelsey Higgins added two hits and one run scored.
