GALLOWAY, N.J. (4/24/18)- Kaitlin Stahlbrand went 4-for-7 with a home run, three RBI's and a run scored as the Kean University softball team split a doubleheader with the Ospreys of Stockton University on Tuesday afternoon.
Game 1: Kean 6, Stockton 2
Julie Raba, Olivia Zengel, and Cayleen Rizo all went 2-for-4, while Stahlbrand finished 1-for-3 with two RBI's as the Cougars (24-9, 9-6 NJAC) handed the Ospreys (20-15, 7-8 NJAC) their sixth straight loss with the game one decision.
Kean fell behind 2-0 before Stahlbrand evened the contest at 2-2 with a two-RBI double that scored both Katie Debbie and Jacqueline Riley. The Cougars took a 5-2 lead in the third with three runs on four hits, including back-to-back RBI's from Debbie and Riley. Rizo added an insurance run in the fourth when she singled down the right-field line to score Raba.
Riley, who improved to 9-5 overall, pitched six scoreless innings after allowing the two runs in the first. Stahlbrand also snapped an eight-game hitless streak with her second-inning double.
Game 2: Stockton 8, Kean 4
Stahlbrand and Zengel both went 3-for-4 with an RBI as a four-run second inning snapped the Ospreys (21-15, 8-8 NJAC) six-game losing streak with the nightcap victory over the Cougars (24-10, 9-7 NJAC).
Kean led 1-0 in the top of the first after Zengel scored on a Stockton fielding error. The Ospreys responded with five runs on five hits for a 6-1 lead entering the fourth inning. Zengel and Maria Bonfanti each helped the Cougars score a run in the fourth and the fifth, but still trailed 7-3 entering the seventh inning. In the final inning, Stahlbrand went deep for the second time this season, but the Cougars remained in an 8-4 deficit that they couldn't recover from.
In the circle, Stahlbrand fell to 10-5 overall in the complete game loss.
Head Coach Margie Acker and the Cougars will return to action on Saturday, Apr. 28th, hosting the Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers-Camden for a senior day doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. Before the game, coach Acker and her staff will honor Kacie Worswick, Lexi Oakley, Katie Garbarino, MacKenzie Valeriani and Rizo for their hard work and dedication to the program.