UNION, N.J. (4/17/14) – Despite rookie secondbaseman Emily Sabo going 6-for-6 with two walks, the No. 23 Kean University softball team was swept by NJAC rival William Paterson University on Thursday. The scores were 8-4 and 4-3, and the Cougars left the game-winning run stranded on second in game two.
Game One
Sabo hit a rocket double to the rightfield wall in the first and was a perfect 3-for-3 in game one. She also rung a double off the leftfield wall in the seventh inning.
Kayla Miele's bases-loaded single drove in two runs for Paterson in the third to break open a scoreless game, and the Pioneers added two more in the frame to take a 4-0 lead.
The visitors tacked on two more in the fifth on a sac fly and an RBI single by Rachel Wasilak. In the sixth they added another deuce to put Kean in danger of losing by the run-rule.
But in the home half of the frame, Courtney Yard launched a grand slam to dead straightaway centerfield to help the Cougars stave off an early defeat. Megan Cegielski, Sabo, and Sandra Binkiewicz all scored on the play.
Alison Podmajersky went the distance for Paterson, striking out seven in her game one victory.
Game Two
Nicole Fryer led off the game with a home run for the Pioneers, and five Kean errors in the first three innings gave Paterson four early runs.
Cegielski and Sabo began the first inning for Kean with singles. With Cegielski on third, Yard grounded out to short. After the throw to first, Cegielski sprinted home and her deft hook slide allowed her to score the Cougars' first run of the game.
Cegielski started the next rally as well with a triple down the rightfield line. She came home on Sabo's fifth hit of the day, and Sabo also came round to score in the frame to cut the lead down to one.
But both pitchers kept the offenses off the board the rest of the way. Kean loaded the bases in the seventh on two walks and a leadoff single by Jill Martin, but could not scrape across the tying run.
Gabrielle Castelli earned the win for the Pioneers. She allowed two earned runs and struck out 12 for her ninth win of the year. Rebecca Rotola (pictured left) arguably pitched even better, allowing just one earned run in her complete game.
Paterson moved to 22-6 on the year and 10-2 in the NJAC, while Kean fell to 24-8 and 9-3 in the league. The Pioneers are receiving vote in the NFCA national poll and are the de facto No. 28 team in the country.
The Cougars will travel to No. 2 Montclair State University for two games on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
