Softball

Cougars Rally Past Ramapo; Fall to Top-Seeded MSU

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. (5/3/08) - The Kean University softball team defeated second-seeded Ramapo College, 3-2, in extra innings, before falling to top-seeded Montclair State University in the elimination game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon.

NJAC GAME EIGHT:  Kean Advances Past Ramapo, 3-2, in Extra Innings

Senior Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.) scored the game-winning run with two outs and the bases-loaded to lift Cougars to the 3-2 victory over Ramapo College in game eight of the tournament.. 

Pitching against Ramapo for the third time in a week, senior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson, N.J.) (pictured right) allowed just two earned runs and one walk, while scattering 11 hits to earn the complete-game victory and improve to 7-6 this season. 

With pinch-runner Lindsay Kennedy (Parsippany, N.J.) on first base, Schultz beat out a bunt single and sophomore centerfielder Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill, N.J.) followed with a sacrifice bunt to put Kennedy and Schultz on second and third with one out.  After a walk and fielder's choice, Schultz scored on an error on a fielder's choice by sophomore Allison Thibault (Garfield, N.J.) to avoid elimination for the second straight game. 

Kean erased a 2-0 deficit, scoring single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to the tie the game.  In the fifth, senior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield, N.J.) had an RBI double to drive in junior Nikki Castagno (Staten Island, N.Y.) and cut the Roadrunner lead in half.

The next inning, the Cougars tied the game when Schultz scored on a RBI single by junior Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.).

NJAC GAME NINE:  Cougars Eliminated By Top-Seeded Montclair State, 8-1

The Cougars wrapped up their first appearance in the NJAC playoffs in over a decade as one of the final three teams remaining before falling to top-seeded Montclair State, 8-1. 

Montclair State, who lost to fourth-seeded The College of New Jersey, 1 -0, in extra innings earlier in the day, scored two runs in the first inning, as sophomore Megan Durkin (West Orange, N.J.) drove in the first run of the game with a RBI single before senior Jackie Ferranti (Bergenfield, N.J.) scored on a passed ball.

In the third inning, the Red Hawks tacked on three more runs as freshman catcher Kacie Neurouter (Wayne, N.J.) had an RBI single and sophomore Amanda Livsey (Congers, N.Y.) drove in two with a single to left field to extend the lead to 5-0.

After Montclair State added three more runs in the fourth inning, Kean scored its lone run of the game when sophomore Allison Lizzi led the bottom half of the inning off with a single and second baseman Sara Steinman (pictured left) followed her program-tying 16^th double of the season to score Lizzi.

On the mound, junior left-hander Kelly Karp (Edison, N.J.) improved to 16-0 this season, allowing just one run on five Cougar hits.