MONTCLAIR, N.J. (5/4/12) – Third-seeded
Rowan University defeated fifth-seeded Kean University, 3-2, in
eight innings in the second round of the New Jersey Athletic
Conference Softball Tournament on Friday afternoon.
The Cougars' road to their third straight NJAC
championships will have to go through the losers' bracket, as
Kean (24-18) faces second-seeded The College of New Jersey (24-14)
for the fourth time this season and second time in the tournament
on Saturday, May 5, at Noon. Rowan (34-7) faces top-seeded
Montclair State University (37-5) in the winner's bracket at
10 a.m.
Tied 2-2 after seven innings, Rowan loaded the bases with one
out following a fielder's choice and back-to-back singles by
third baseman Julie Leskanic and centerfielder Megan
Becker. The Cougars recorded the second out of the
inning by forcing the out at home place following a fielder's
choice, however right fielder Lauren Davis worked the
full-count walk to score Leskanic with the game-winning run.
Rowan right-hander LeAnne Miller retired the side in the
bottom half of the inning to record the win after allowing just one
run on four hits in the final 4.2 innings of work.
Kean took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when
junior second baseman Katie Schuh had a one-out
single up the middle, advanced to second on the single by sophomore
left fielder Sandra Binkiewicz and scored on the
single by sophomore first baseman Kelly
Moorehead.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Profs tied the game on the
RBI single by catcher Nicolina Veneziano, scoring
Leskanic, who led off the inning with a single.
The Cougars regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning,
as sophomore right fielder Megan Cegielski
(pictured left) singled and later scored on the two-out single by
Schuh for the 2-1 lead. Rowan once again answered right back
on the lead -off homerun by first baseman Stephanie Labas
in the top of the sixth inning.
For the Cougars, Cegielski finished 3-of-4 with one run scored
and Schuh was 2-of-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
Labas was 2-of-4 and Leskanic was 3-of-4 with two runs
scored.
