Union, N.J. (5/8/15) – Sophomore Emily Sabo launched a grand slam and senior Courtney Yard tossed her eighth shutout of the season as the Kean University softball team shut down Farmingdale State College, 4-0, in NCAA regional first round action.

Yard (20-7) allowed six hits and one walk while fanning five. 

Click here to see a postgame interview featuring Yard, Sabo and head coach Margie Acker.

#1 Kean will face off against #3 College of Staten Island on Saturday at 11 a.m.   CSI topped William Paterson, 9-1 in the opener today.  Both William Paterson and Farmingdale will square off in the elimination matchup at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Sabo erased the shutout when she belted a two-out grand slam to right-centerfield in the bottom of the second.  With two outs, Brooke Ennis had gotten things going with a bunt single.  Tonianne DeMatteo followed suit with a bunt single of her own and Yard (pictured left) battled to a walk, working Taylor Webb to an 11 pitch at-bat.  The homerun for Sabo was just the second in her collegiate career and the first for her at Cougar Field.

In Farmingdale's best scoring chance, the Rams had a runner on second with two outs in the third. Shortstop Cayleen Rizo smothered a single up the middle, and Sabo picked up the ball in time to gun down the runner trying to score at home. Yard would not allow another runner past second base all day.

Sabo was the only Cougar to collect multiple hits on the afternoon, finishing 2-for-4.  For the Rams (22-14) Meagan Anderson finished with a 2-for-3 day. Kean raised its record to 26-11-1.