UNION, N.J. (5/11/14) – The second-seeded Kean University softball team steamrolled its way to the 2014 NCAA Division III Softball Union Regional Championship with a 3-2 victory over top seed Lebanon Valley College on Sunday. The win capped an unblemished run (3-0) to the Super Regionals for the homestanding Cougars.
Kean is now 35-11 on the year and is ranked No. 19 nationally. The Dutchmen came into the week at No. 18.
After a perfect first pitched by Courtney Yard, the first four Cougars reached base as Kean scored two in the home half of the inning. Megan Cegielski walked and then Emily Sabo, Sandra Binkiewicz and Courtney Yard all had basehits to stake Kean to a 2-0 lead.
After another perfect inning by Yard, Tonianne DeMatteo tattooed a linedrive double off the top of the leftfield wall. It was the second-straight day she missed a homerun by mere inches. But LVC pitcher Sam Derr stranded her there to keep the score where it was.
In the third, Binkiewicz doubled and Kelly Moorehead got her sixth hit of the tournament to drive in the Cougars' third run of the game.
Yard was dealing through the first five innings, striking out three and allowing just two singles.
Sabo led off the fifth inning with another base knock but the Dutchmen turned a linedrive double play to end the inning.
With two down in the sixth and the Dutchmen down to their final four outs, Allie Hartman parked her second homerun of the tournament on top of the batting cages in left field to trim the Cougar lead down to one.
After leaving two Cougars stranded in the sixth, the teams went to the final inning with LVC still trailing by one.
Yard was not looking for drama; she induced a groundout to Amanda Berezny at third sandwiched around a pair of squibbers to Tiffany Varriello at first for a 1-2-3 inning that delivered the title to Kean.
Yard threw every pitch for the Cougars in the tournament, struck out 19 batters in 19 innings and had an ERA of 1.11. She had a shutout on Friday and a WHIP of less than 1.00. She also hit .375 with three RBIs.
Moorehead was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament after hitting .700 (7-10) with 4 ribbies, a double, a run scored and a stolen base. She, Yard, Binkiewicz and Jill Martin were named to the All-Regional Tournament Team.
Click here to see postgame reactions from Moorehead, Binkiewicz and Sabo.
Click here to watch the final out of the Union Regional.
Kean will advance to take on Montclair State University in the NCAA Super Regional beginning May 16. Details will be announced on Monday.
Lebanon Valley has been eliminated from the NCAA Championship and ends its season with a 34-6 record.
