Scopellito, Yard Earn Weekly Softball NJAC Honors

PITMAN, N.J. (4/30/12) – Freshmen Maria Scopellito and Courtney Yard were recently named New Jersey Athletic Conference weekly award winners after helping the Kean University softball team clinch the fifth seed in the upcoming NJAC tournament.

Scopellito earned NJAC Rookie of the Week honors for the first time this season after hitting .538 (7-of-13) with a double, stolen base, two RBI and two runs scored in four NJAC games for the Cougars last week.  The centerfielder, who hit safely in all four games, opened the week by going a combined 3-of-6 with a double and a stolen base in a doubleheader defeat to #21 William Paterson University.

She wrapped up her first regular season by going a combined 4-of-7 with two RBI and two runs scored in a doubleheader split with Rutgers-Camden.  In 18 NJAC games, Scopellito ranked third with a .426 batting average and is tied for sixth in the NJAC in total hits (45).

Yard earned NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week honors for the sixth time this season after surrendering just two earned runs in 19 innings pitched during three starts last week.  She opened the week pitching both ends of the NJAC doubleheader against #21 William Paterson, allowing just two earned runs and striking out seven in 14 combined innings of work. 

The right-hander closed out the week by tossing a one-hit, five-inning shutout while striking out seven in a 10-0 win over Rutgers-Camden to help the Cougars clinch a berth in the NJAC playoffs.  Yard currently leads the NJAC in innings pitched (177.2). 

The Cougars open defense of its back-to-back NJAC titles on Tuesday, May 1, at second-seeded The College of New Jersey.