UNION, N.J. (4/21/13) – Courtney Yard and Ashlee Gieger shut down Fairleigh Dickinson University as the Kean University softball team swept the Devils 1-0 and 8-0 on Senior Day. Megan Cegielski finished 3-for-6 with two RBI to lead the Cougars at the plate.
Game One
Kean was held hitless until the fourth, when Katie Schuh hit a linedrive off the top of the centerfield fence for a leadoff double. Cegielski then lined a single back up the box, and Schuh was able to score the first run on a failed pickoff attempt at third base.
Kean pitcher Courtney Yard dominated the proceedings in game one; she did not allow a runner past second base and allowed just three hits as she cruised to her seventh shutout of the year. The sophomore struck out 11 Devils; just one short of the school-record 12 she set earlier this season.
FDU starter Sydney Worek was nearly as impressive in the circle, but took the 1-0 loss in game one.
Game Two
Schuh walked to begin the first for Kean, and Cegielski singled to put the first two runners on for the Cougars. Sandra Binkiewicz drove in the first run and Yard knocked in the second with RBI groundouts to stake Kean to a 2-0 lead.
In the second inning, Schuh, Cegielski and Binkiewicz stroked consecutive basehits to leftfield to score two more runs and double the Kean lead to four.
In the third, two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out. Senior Kelsey Hannan turned around to the right side of the plate and lifted an RBI single to left, and Cegielski came through with her second RBI of the game to make the score 6-0.
With two on and two outs in the fourth, Alexa Cavasco ripped a pinch-hit single up the middle that scored both runners and gave the Cougars the magic 8-0 lead.
Ashlee Gieger pitched all five innings for her third win of the season. The sophomore struck out five and allowed just two hits on the way to her first shutout of the year.
Seniors Katelyn Marinelli, Courtney Melchionna, Hannan and Schuh were honored in a ceremony between the games.
The Cougars will remain at Cougar Field for their final home games on Tuesday against NJAC rival Richard Stockton College at 3 p.m.
