UNION, N.J. (3/13/21) – Taryn DiGiacomo tossed the seventh no-hitter in program history and the first since 2017 as the #8 Kean University softball team swept William Paterson University in their season opening doubleheader on Saturday.

Kean 8, William Paterson 0 (5 Inn.)
DiGiacomo kicked off the 2021 campaign in a big way as the senior tossed five innings of scoreless and hitless softball. The upperclassmen struck out nine and only allowed two batters to reach base. DiaGiacomo's no-hitter is the first since Shannon McMahon threw a no-no against Defiance on Mar. 7^th, 2017.

In addition, she moves into a tie with Nicole Patterson (2001-04) for fifth all-time in career wins with 39.   

At the plate, Gabriella Fredette went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored, while newcomer Paige Metz finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Julie Raba went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Jenn Majorczak tallied two RBI's

William Paterson struggled in the circle to start the game as Kean took a 2-0 lead in the first with their aggressive base running. The third inning saw the Cougars post another three runs as Fredette, Majorczak and Melody Caces were all credited with RBI's. Fredette hit a single up the middle to start things off and Paterson then walked three consecutive batters for two additional runs.

Kean added three more runs in the fourth with RBI's by Fredette and Majorczak as Kean stretched their lead to 8-0.  

Kean 9, William Paterson 1 (5 Inn.)
The second game saw Heather Clevenger follow DiGiacomo with a solid performance in the circle. In her freshman debut, she fanned nine batters, while only allowing two hits and one run.

Metz and Fredette both went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, while Raba tallied three RBI's.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, Kean responded with runs in the first, second and third inning's highlighted by a Gianna Pickens homerun to left field in the second. Pickens homerun came in her first career at-bat as a Cougar. The Cougars finished off William Paterson with five runs on five hits in the fourth. Maria Bonfanti, Metz and Fredette and Sarah Zengel all tallied RBI's in the inning.

Head Coach Margie Acker and the Cougars will return to action in Hackettstown, N.J. on Tuesday, Mar. 16^th, against the Cyclones of Centenary University for a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.