CLERMONT, Fla. (3/22/12) – The Kean University softball team closed out its Spring Break trip with a pair of wins over Manchester University (5-4) and Wellesley College (5-4) at the National Training Center on Thursday afternoon.
Right-handers Courtney Yard and Rebecca Rotola each picked up complete-game victories for the Cougars, who close out the week with an 8-4 overall record.
GAME ONE: Cougars Score Game-Winner in Bottom of Eighth
The Cougars scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and junior pinch runner Kelsey Hannan came across with the game-winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth for the 5-4 win over Manchester.
Kean had taken a 2-0 lead in the third inning after senior shortstop Alicia Banz led off the inning with a walk. Two batters later, sophomore left fielder Sandra Binkiewicz (pictured left) singled up the middle and both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Rookie Courtney Yard walked to load the bases, setting up a two-run single by sophomore Kelly Moorehead.
Manchester rallied to take the lead in the top the seventh inning, when the Spartans had three straight singles to open the inning and load the bases. After a strike-out and force out at home plate, Amy Hommema singled up the middle to tie the game at 2-2. Kayla Yates reached on an error that allowed two more runs to score for the 4-2 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Banz again led off the inning with a walk and would move over to third base on an error on the fielder's choice by sophomore Megan Cegielski , who would advance to second base on the play. Junior second baseman Katie Schuh had a 
RBI groundout to score Banz, and Cegielski would score on the sacrifice fly by Binkiewicz to force extra innings.
Manchester had the go-ahead run at third base with one-out in the top of the eighth inning, when Cegielski (pictured left) caught the fly-out and threw out the go-ahead run at home plate to end the inning.
After Moorehead opened the bottom of the eighth inning on second base and moved over to third base on a wild pitch, Hannan pinch-ran for her and scored on the passed ball to end the game.
Third baseman Courtney Melchionna finished 2-of-4, while Binkiewicz had one hit, one RBI and one run scored.
On the mound, Yard (6-2) scattered nine hits and allowed just two earned runs, while recording eight strikeouts.
GAME TWO: Kean Hangs on for 5-4 Victory Against Wellesley
Sophomore Rebecca Rotola allowed just six hits and didn't allow any earned runs, as the Cougars held off Wellesley, 5-4, to close out the trip.
Kean took a 3-0 lead after the second inning, as sophomore Sandra Binkiewicz had a RBI single to score Alicia Banz, who led off with a single in the first inning. Second bas
eman Katie Schuh had a two-run double in the second inning.
The Cougars added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI singles by first baseman Kelly Moorehead and Banz, respectively.
In the top of the sixth inning, Wellesley loaded the bases with no outs after a pair of singles and a Cougar error. Kean recorded the force-out at home plate for the first out of the inning, before Wellesley scored three runs on the next play following a pair of Cougar errors to pull within 5-3. After a groundout, Wellesley pulled within 5-4 on an inning-extending error.
Wellesley had the game-tying run at third base with two outs in the top of the seventh, before the Cougars ended the game with a groundout.
Schuh (pictured right) finished 2-of-3 with two RBI and one run scored, while Banz was 2-of-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Centerfielder Maria Scopollito added two hits and two runs scored, while right fielder Megan Cegielski added two hits.
Kean returns to action next Wednesday, March 28, when the Cougars travel to Manhattanville College for a non-conference doubleheader.
