Softball

Softball Drops Doubleheader to Lebanon Valley

ANNVILLE, N.J. (4/10/08) - The Kean University softball team scored twice with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, however it wasn't enough to prevent a sweep, falling to host Lebanon Valley College (7-0, 3-2) in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon.

GAME ONE: Four-Run First Inning Lifts Flying Dutchwomen in Opener (boxscore)

Lebanon Valley College took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning of the opener and limited Kean to just four hits en-route to defeating the Cougars with the 7-0 shutout victory. 

With one out, LVC smacked back-to-back doubles and senior Jessica Salisbury (Harleysville, Pa.) followed with a two-run homerun, before and RBI single gave the Flying Dutchwomen the only runs they would need.

Lebanon Valley added a single run in the second and two in the fourth for the 7-0 win. 

For the Cougars, senior catcher Vicki Lanza (Edison, N.J.) went 2-of-3, while junior Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.) and sophomore Allison Thibault (Garfield, N.J.) each added a hit.

GAME TWO:  Seventh Inning Rally Falls Short (boxscore)

Sophomore Allison Thibault and junior second baseman Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) each had two-out, RBI hits in the seventh inning, however the Cougar rally fell short with the tying run on base in the 3-2 loss to Lebanon Valley in the nightcap.

In the seventh, senior first baseman Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes, N.J.) led off the inning with a double down the left field line and after moving over to third on a groundout, Thibault (pictured left) drove in Hicks with an RBI single through the left side. 

Steinman followed with a double to left center to drive in Thibault and pull Kean to within one run at 3-2.  The Flying Dutchwomen recorded the final out to leave Steinman as the tying run on second base.

After LVC took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Cougars threatened in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out, but were unable to push a run across in the inning.

Lebanon Valley added the decisive second and third run in the sixth inning to build a 3-0 lead.

Senior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson, N.J.) allowed just five hits in the losing effort.

At the plate, Thibault was 3-of-4 with one RBI and one run scored to lead the 10-hit attack, while senior Vicki Lanza and Hicks each added a pair of hits.

The Cougars return to action on Saturday, April 12, when they host Rutgers-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m.