UNION, N.J. (3/29/12) – The Kean University softball team split with DeSales University, capturing the opener, 6-2, behind a 10-strikeout performance from right-hander Courtney Yard, before falling 5-2, in the nightcap of the team's home opener.
GAME ONE: Yard Fans 10 in 6-2 Win; Cougars Plate Five in First Inning
The Cougars plated five first-inning runs and rookie Courtney Yard (pictured left) struck out a career-high 10 batters in a 6-2 win in the opener.
After DeSales took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI infield single by Christine Petrilla, Kean loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, as senior shortstop Alicia Banz led off with a single, right-fielder Megan Cegielski walked and junior second baseman Katie Schuh reached when the Bulldogs failed to force an out on the fielder's choice sacrifice bunt attempt.
Banz scored on a RBI single by sophomore Sandra Binkiewicz and first baseman Kelly Moorehead followed two batters later with the one-out RBI single to drive in Cegielski with the second run. A catcher's interference call allowed Schuh to score, before Binkiewicz and Moorehead scored the final two runs of the inning for the 5-1 lead.
Kean added a run in the second inning when Schuh walked, stole second and would eventually score on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs got a run back in the top of the seventh on a RBI single by shortstop Taylor Kelly.
Yard (8-2) went the distance, allowing just five hits, one earned run and one walk.
Banz finished with two hits and one run scored, while Moorehead had two hits, one RBI and one run scored.
For DeSales, Kelly finished with two hits, one RBI and one run scored.
GAME TWO: Early Runs Lift DeSales to 5-2 Win
DeSales (6-12) scored all five runs in the first three innings to take an early 5-0 lead and closed out the win with the tying run on first base of the 5-2 win to earn the split.
Shortstop Taylor Kelly led off the game with a single and after moving over to second base on the sacrifice bunt by Brianna Chilcoat, Kelly scored on the double by third baseman Julie Brugger for the early 1-0 lead.
An inning later, DeSales extended the lead to 4-0, as Chilcoat delivered the big hit with a two-run single to left-center and would later score in the inning on a wild pitch.
After DeSales struck again in the top of the third inning on a RBI single by Kayla Adanalian, the Cougars were able to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI single by Alicia Banz, to score sophomore catcher Jillian Martin, who had earlier singled and advanced to third on an error.
Kean pulled to within 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of an inning-extending error that allowed Banz (pictured left) to score.
The Cougars had the tying run at the plate with one out and would eventually have the bases loaded with two outs, however DeSales got out of the inning with a game-ending infield pop-up.
Right-hander Ericka Esposito (1-2) earned the win in relief, scattering six hits and three walks in the final six innings of the game. Kelly finished 2-of-3 with two runs scored, while Adanalian was 2-of-2 with one RBI and one run scored.
For the Cougars, Katie Schuh and Martin each had a pair of hits.
Kean opens the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule on Saturday, March 31. The two-time defending Cougars host New Jersey City University in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
