Game 4 - Box Score
Game 5 - Box Score
Game 6 - Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – Kean University and The College of New Jersey are unbeaten after two rounds of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Softball Championship Tournament. The second round was held at Rowan University on Friday.
In the first game, the second seed Montclair State University defeated the top seed Rowan University, 6-1. Number six Kean, the defending conference champion, won 6-3 over the fourth seed Ramapo College. It was the second loss for Rowan and Ramapo in the double elimination tournament. In the last game of the day, the fifth seed TCNJ shut out the third seed William Paterson University 1-0.
Game 4 - #2 Montclair State University 6, #1 Rowan University 1 (Rowan is eliminated.)
The second seed Montclair State University defeated the top seed Rowan University, 6-1. It was the Profs’ second loss in the double elimination tournament. MSU is 27-9 overall and Rowan has a 28-11 record.
Right-hander Alex Hill (fr. Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany Hills) pitched a complete game for the win. She (17-4) only allowed one earned run on two hits. The NJAC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year, Hill struck out nine batters. Righty Jamie Minix (jr. Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Reg.) went five innings in the loss. Minix (12-5) gave up eight hits and six runs, four were earned.
Center fielder Leslie Gonzalez (sr. West New York, NJ/North Bergen) led the Red Hawks with two hits (four at bats), three RBIs, a triple and one run scored. Designated player Kelli O’Brien (so. Edison, NJ/Edison) was two for four with a double, one RBI and one run scored. First baseman Alisha Cumberton (fr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) contributed with two hits in two trips to the plate, one RBI and one run scored.
Left fielder Shannon Mozek (jr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) added one hit in three at bats, one RBI and one run scored. Second baseman Katie Muglia (fr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) chipped in with one hit (three at bats) and one run scored. Right fielder Stephanie Szeliga (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) scored one run.
For Rowan, center fielder Nicolina Veneziano (jr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) went one for three with one run scored. Shortstop Ashley Minch (jr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) registered a double and one RBI.
The Red Hawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Gonzalez knocked in the first three runs with a triple to left field. She scored Muglia, Cumberton and Szeliga. Mozek followed with a RBI double that plated Gonzalez. Mozek crossed the plate on O’Brien’s double to left center field.
MSU added one run in the fifth. O’Brien led off with a double and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Cumberton drove in O’Brien with a single. Rowan’s run came in the top of the seventh inning. Veneziano, the NJAC Co-Player of the Year, had a lead-off single and she scored on Minch’s double to left center field.
Game 5: #6 Kean University 6, #4 Ramapo College 3 (Ramapo is eliminated.)
The defending conference champion, Kean University defeated the fourth seed Ramapo College, 6-3. The sixth seeded Cougars (14-24) have won two straight in the NJAC tournament while it was the second loss for the Roadrunners (26-10).
Right-hander Courtney Smyth (sr. Abington, PA/Abington) threw a complete game for the victory. Smyth (7-14) scattered seven hits and allowed three earned runs. Righty Deanna Giordano (sr. Clifton, NJ/Clifton) went five innings in the loss. Giordano (10-6) allowed eight hits and two earned runs.
Kean designated player Kelly Moorhead (fr. Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) was two for four with a double and two RBIs. Shortstop Alicia Banz (jr. Carteret, NJ/Carteret) produced two doubles in four at bats and scored two runs. Right fielder Megan Cegielski (fr. Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) had two hits (four at bats) and one RBI. Third baseman Courtney Melchionna (so. Linden, NJ/Linden) contributed with one hit (four at bats), one RBI and one run scored. Catcher Nicole Scarillo (sr. South Amboy, NJ/South Amboy) added one hit and one run scored. Left fielder Sandra Binkiewicz (fr. Belleville, NJ/Belleville) scored two runs.
For Ramapo, second baseman Amanda Kent (so. Sparta, NJ/Pope John XXII) collected three hits (three at bats), a triple and two runs scored. Left fielder Caitlin Smith (fr. Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) tallied one hit (three at bats) and two runs. Shortstop Kelsey Higgins (so. Wall, NJ/Wall) went two for three with one run scored.
The Cougars led 1-0 after a RBI single up the middle by Cegielski in the top of the first inning. She drove in Banz who led off with a double. In the third, Kean scored two runs for a 3-0 advantage. Melchionna drove in Banz with a single and Binkiewicz came home on an error. Ramapo had one run in the bottom half on Smith’s sacrifice fly that scored Higgins.
Kean was ahead 6-1 after three runs in the top of the fifth. Binkiewicz crossed the plate on an error and Moorehead plated Melchionna and Scarillo with a double to right center field. Ramapo had one run in the bottom. Fischer recorded a sac fly that sent Kent home. The Roadrunners had one more run in the seventh. Kent led off with a triple. Smith followed with a single up the middle, scoring Kent.
Game 6: #5 The College of NJ 1, #3 William Paterson University 0
The fifth seed The College of New Jersey shut out the third seed William Paterson, 1-0. TCNJ (26-12) plays Kean University (14-24) on Saturday at 10 a.m. Both teams are 2-0 in the tournament. William Paterson (27-9) faces Montclair State University (27-9) in the loser’s bracket at noon.
Lauren Fitzsimmons (jr. Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) pitched a complete game for her sixth shutout on the season. She (10-3) scattered six hits and struck out five hitters. Right-hander Michele Graham (jr. Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) had the loss (13-5).
Lions’ center fielder Liz Huttner (so. Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro S.) registered two doubles (three at bats) and one RBI. Shortstop Ashley Sogluizzo (so. Middletown, NJ/Middletown S.) contributed with two hits in three at bats, a double and one run scored. Designated player Caitlyn Seamster (sr. Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) went two for two with one double. Third baseman Kelly Hommen (so. Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) and left fielder Crystal Lee (jr. Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) each had one hit.
For the Pioneers, left fielder Raquel Roder (jr. Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) totaled two hits in two trips to the plate. Second baseman and NJAC Co-Player of the Year Lindsey Nadolny (sr. Belford, NJ/Middletown N.), first baseman Jenna Vitale (sr. Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley), right fielder Heather Mendez (sr. Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) and center fielder Jillian Mulderig (sr. Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) all registered one hit.
TCNJ scored its run in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Sogluizzo had a double to left center field. She advanced to third on Hommen’s ground out and scored on a double by Huttner.
Tickets for the NJAC Softball Championship Tournament are: $5 for adults and $2 for students with ID, senior citizens and children. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
The NJAC Softball Championship Tournament schedule is below. Results and the updated schedule for the double elimination tournament are available at rowanathletics.com and njacsports.com.
Tue,, May 3 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #6 Kean University 5, #1 Rowan University 4
Game 2: #5 The College of NJ 1, #2 Montclair State University 0 (9 innings)
Game 3: #3 William Paterson University 1, #4 Ramapo College 0
Fri., May 6 (Rowan Softball Field)
Game 4: #2 Montclair State University 6, #1 Rowan University 1 (Rowan is eliminated.)
Game 5: #6 Kean University 6, #4 Ramapo College 3 (Ramapo is eliminated.)
Game 6: #5 The College of NJ 1, #3 William Paterson University 0
Sat., May 7 (Rowan Softball Field)
Game 7: #5 The College of NJ (26-12) vs. #6 Kean University (14-24), 10 a.m.
Game 8: #2 Montclair State University (27-9) vs. #3 William Paterson University (27-9), noon
Game 9: loser game 7 vs. winner game 8, 2 p.m.
Sun., May 8 (Rowan Softball Field)
Game 10: winner game 7 vs. winner game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11: same teams as game 10 (if necessary), TBA
