WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (3/19/15) – Pitcher Courtney Yard of the No. 12 Kean University softball team won her fifth game in as many starts as the Cougars wrapped up their Florida trip with a 4-1 win over Western Connecticut State University on Thursday.

The Cougars will return home from Florida sporting a 6-3 record.

Kean struck early, with a two-out rally in the first inning. Sophomore Emily Sabo knocked a single into leftfield, and was driven in by her classmate Emily Bissonnette, who hit a line drive to centerfield for the game's first run. Bissonnette went to second on the throw, and was therefore in position to score when Kayla Parker singled over the third baseman's head to make the count 2-0.

In the fourth, West Conn punched back when Alex LaFemina singled to start the frame. After LaFeminia stole second with two outs, pitcher Emily Cintorino became the first Colonial player to hit the ball to the outfield; her RBI single cut the Kean lead in half.

The Cougars loaded the bases in the home half of the frame, but Cintorino got an inning-ended strikeout to escape the jam.

Cayleen Rizo started the Kean fifth with a screaming single after a nine-pitch at-bat. Up next, Sabo bunted, beat out the sacrifice for a hit and forced a throwing error that put both runners in scoring position. Bissonnette then came up big again and drove in both runners with a single over the shortstop to get Yard (pictured left) all the insurance she would need.

The Kean hurler recorded her fifth-straight complete game, and struck out nine while walking just one batter. She allowed five hits, but just two landed on the grass. She owns an even 1.00 earned run average this season. Sabo hit .655 in Florida, and Bissonnette is at .474 with a team-high nine RBIs.

Kean will return North and play again on Tuesday, March 24 at Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey at 3 p.m.