Softball

Softball Falls to William Paterson in NJAC Action

WAYNE, N.J. (4/22/07) - The Kean University softball team dropped a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader to William Paterson University, 3-2 and 7-4, on Sunday afternoon.  William Paterson improved to 22-10 overall, 9-5 NJAC, while the Cougars are 20-10 overall, 7-7 in the conference.

GAME ONE: Pioneers Earn 3-2 Victory in Opener

All five runs of the first game were scored in the second inning and the two teams mustered only one hit the rest of the way of the 3-2 William Paterson victory.

In the top half of the second, Kean junior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes, N.J.) and sophomore right-hander Meg Gierke (Glen Gardner, N.J.) had back-to-back singles with one out and both would eventually score in the inning to take the 2-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived however, as the Pioneers loaded the bases and senior Brandi Kavaliauskas (Sicklerville, N.J.) drove in the game-winner with a RBI single to right field.

On the mound for the Cougars, Gierke suffered her third one-run loss (15-4) in the last two days, as she went the distance in allowing four hits and three walks, while striking out two.  Pioneer pitcher Diana Schraer (Paramus, N.J.) improved to 15-3 as she allowed just two hits, two runs (none earned), two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

GAME TWO: Four-Run Fifth Inning Lifts Pioneers, 7-4

In the nightcap, the Cougars took the early lead as junior Katy McManus (Edison, N.J.) drew a third-inning leadoff walk and would score on a single by sophomore second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) for the 1-0 advantage.

The Pioneers pushed ahead with two runs during the next half-inning, as shortstop Alicia Albert (Voorhees, N.J.) doubled to lead off the inning and would score on a throwing error on the following play.  Right-fielder Christina Zippler (Blackwood, N.J.) added a RBI single later in the inning to take the 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Cougars tied the game back up, as junior catcher Vicki Lanza (Edison, N.J.) drove in junior Katie Hicks with a single up the middle.

William Paterson broke the game open scoring four runs in the fifth inning.  With two outs and the bases loaded, a wild pitch scored the first run and sophomore Ana Abourashed (Middlesex, N.J.) followed with a double just inside the third base bag to score the other two runners for the 5-2 edge.  The Pioneers added one more run in the inning when Zippler singled to right field to drive home Abourashed.

The Pioneers added a single run in the sixth before the Cougars scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI single by Lanza and junior third baseman Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.) added a solo homerun in the seventh to close out the scoring.

On the mound for the Cougars, junior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson, N.J.) allowed nine hits as she fell to 4-5 this season.  Schraer picked up the victory (16-3), scattering seven hits and three earned runs in 5.0 innings of work. 

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, April 24, when they host Richard Stockton College in a pivotal NJAC doubleheader.  First pitch is at 3 p.m.