GLASSBORO, N.J. (5/8/11) – The Kean University softball team captured its second straight New Jersey Athletic Conference title, defeating The College of New Jersey, 2-1, in eight innings on Sunday afternoon at Rowan University.
Senior Nicole Scarillo laced a two-out double to right-centerfield to drive in pinch runner Kelsey Hannan with the game-winning run to give the sixth-seeded Cougars (16-25) back-to-back NJAC crowns.
The fifth-seeded Lions, who fell to the Cougars yesterday in the winner's bracket, forced the if-necessary game with a 10-1 win earlier in the day on Sunday, setting up a winner-take-all championship.
The NJAC title also gives Kean the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament, as the Cougars now await the announcement of the bracket on Monday morning.
A year after becoming the lowest seeded team to win an NJAC title as the fifth seed in 2010, the Cougars become the second sixth seeded team to win the conference championship, matching the feat accomplished by the Kean men's soccer team this past fall.
The Cougars also swept the NJAC baseball and softball titles for the second straight season, as Kean defeated Rowan University, 8-1, earlier in the day to clinch the 2011 NJAC Baseball title.
Senior right-hander Courtney Smyth won the NJAC championship game for the second straight season, as she pitched all 13 innings on Sunday.
Both teams put runs on the board in the sixth inning, as the Cougars plated the first run of the game when freshman right-fielder Megan Cegielski led off the inning with a triple and sophomore second baseman Katie Schuh drove her in with a sacrifice fly.
TCNJ answered in the bottom half of the inning, as centerfielder Liz Huttner singled and advanced to second on the sac bunt by right fielder Colleen Cawley, before scoring on the RBI single by pinch hitter Kristen Lake to tie the game.
Both teams threatened in the seventh inning, as Kean junior shortstop Alicia Banz and TCNJ third baseman Kelly Hommen each had two-out doubles, but neither team was able to plate the run as the championship game went into extra innings.
The Lions retired the first two Cougar batters of the eighth inning before sophomore third baseman Courtney Melchionna ripped a two-out double to left-center. After Hannan pinch-ran for her at second base, Scarillo drove in the game-winning run for the second time in the NJAC tournament.
Kean retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the eighth with a pair of groundouts and a pop-up to clinch the program's second NJAC title.
Smyth (9-15) scattered nine hits and only one walk, as she also struck out two batters in the title game.
The Cougars also had some tremendous defensive plays, including a sliding catch by rookie Sandra Binkiewicz in the seventh inning and after TCNJ tied the game in the sixth inning, the Cougars threw out a potential go-ahead run at third base to end the inning.
Earlier in the day, the Lions forced the if-necessary game with the 10-1, five-inning victory.
Leading 2-1 after the first inning, the Lions broke the game open with five runs in the second and three runs in the third for the five-inning victory.
Hommen drove in four runs, while designated player Caitlyn Seamster had her second homerun in as many days against the Cougars with a two-run shot in the third inning.
Kean Head Coach Margie Acker matched the number of NJAC titles she won as a player with a win over her alma mater.
