GLASSBORO, N.J. (4/21/12) - Facing its second ranked opponent in a week, the Kean University softball team split with #14 Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars won the opener, 5-4, before Rowan rallied for the 8-7, eight-inning win in the nightcap.
GAME ONE: Kean Holds Off Rowan for 5-4 Win in Opener
The Cougars (22-14, 9-5 NJAC) scored four runs in the third inning and added a critical insurance run an inning later, as Kean took the 5-4 win in the opener.
The Profs (29-6, 9-5 NJAC) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, as right fielder Lauren Davis had a two-out single to right field and catcher Nicolina Veneziano followed with the run-scoring double to right-center.
In the top of the third, the Cougars answered right back, scoring four runs on four hits and three Rowan errors. Right-fielder Megan Cegielski led off with a single to centerfield and rookie Maria Scopellito reached on the error on the sacrifice bunt, moving Cegielski all the way to third base. Third baseman Courtney Melchionna followed with a fielder' choice, as the Profs' error allowed Cegielski to score and Scopellito eventually scored on a second error on the play to give Kean the 2-1 lead.
Second baseman Katie Schuh had an RBI single to score Melchionna from second base and after a sacrifice bunt by Sandra Binkiewicz and an infield single by pitcher Courtney Yard, first baseman Kelly Moorehead drove home Schuh with a single for the 4-1 lead.
An inning later, the Cougars tacked on what proved to be the game-winning run, as senior Alicia Banz reached on an error and would move over to third base following a groundout by Cegielski and a wild pitch. Two batters later, Melchionna (pictured left) had the two-out single to right field to extend the lead to 5-1.
Rowan got a run run back in the fifth inning, as Veneziano led off with a double and would later score the unearned run on the sacrifice fly by left fielder Jennifer Arcella.
The Profs threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-out rally, scoring two runs and having the go-ahead run on base. After Kean recorded the first two outs of the inning, shortstop Ashley Minch had an infield single and Arcella followed with the RBI triple to pull Rowan to within 5-3. After Arcella scored on a wild pitch to pull the Profs to within one, third baseman Julie Leskanic and pinch hitter Amanda Toomer followed with back-to-back singles, before Yard got out of the jam with the game-ending groundout.
Yard (16-8) scattered 11 hits and three earned runs, as she allowed just one walk and recorded eight strikeouts.
At the plate, Binkiewicz was 3-of-3, while Moorehead added three hits and one RBI. Cegielski and Scopellito each added two hits and one run scored.
For Rowan, Veneziano was 2-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored. First baseman Stephanie Labas and Minch each had multi-hit games, while Arcella was 1-of-2 with two RBI and one run scored.
GAME TWO: Rowan Rallies for 8-7 Win in Eight Innings
Rowan was down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh inning before scoring on an inning-extending error to tie the game and plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth to earn the doubleheader split with the 8-7 win.
Tied 6-6 heading into the seventh, Megan Cegielski (pictured left) had a one-out single, advanced to third on a single by Courtney Melchionna, before scoring on the RBI single by Katie Schuh to give Kean the 7-6 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, designated player Katie Trotter led off with a double and moved over to third base on the second out of the inning. The Profs took advantage of an inning-extending error that allowed Trotter to score the game-tying run and force extra innings.
Kean was unable to score in the top half of the eighth and Lauren Davis brought home Megan Becker with the game-winning run, after Becker opened the inning on second base due to the international tie-breaking rule.
Rowan took a 4-0 lead in the third inning, before Kean answered with three runs in the fourth inning on a two-run homerun by Schuh and a solo homer by Kelly Moorehead.
An inning later, the Cougars took a 5-4 lead and Moorehead added her second homerun of the game in the sixth inning to give Kean the 6-4 edge.
Rowan tied the game with a pair of runs in the sixth inning.
Trotter (2-0) earned the win in relief for Rowan, allowing three hits over the final 2.2 innings. Davis finished 2-of-3 with two RBI.
For the Cougars, Schuh was 2-of-4 with three RBI and one run scored, while Moorehead had the two solo homeruns. Cegielski finished 2-of-3 with two runs scored.
Kean faces its third ranked opponent in a week when the Cougars host William Paterson University in a NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 24, at 3 p.m.
