Game 1 - Box Score
Game 2 - Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University softball team split a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader against Kean University on Saturday. The Cougars held on for a 5-4 victory in the first contest and the Profs won 8-7 (8 inn.) in the second.
Rowan is 29-6 overall and 9-5 in the conference. This week, the Profs were ranked 14th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Poll. Kean has a 22-14 record with a 9-5 NJAC mark. In the first NCAA East Region Rankings, Rowan was third while Kean followed seventh.
Right-hander Courtney Yard (fr. Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) pitched a complete game for the Cougars’ win. Yard (16-8) allowed four runs, three earned and she struck out eight batters. Righty Jamie Minix (sr. Clarksboro, NJ/Kingsway Reg.) took the loss. Minix (11-5) gave up one earned run out of five.
Kean left fielder Sandra Binkiewicz (so. Belleville, NJ/Belleville) went three for three with a double and a triple. First baseman Kelly Moorehead (so. Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) totaled three hits in four at bats and one RBI. Right fielder Courtney Melchionna (jr. Linden, NJ/Linden) and second baseman Katie Schuh (jr. Mount Holly, NJRancocas Valley Reg.) each collected one hit, one RBI and one run scored. Right fielder Megan Cegielski (so. Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) contributed with two hits (four at bats) and one run scored. Center fielder Maria Scopellito (fr. Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) produced two hits (three at bats), a double and one run scored. Shortstop Alicia Banz (sr. Carteret, NJ/Carteret) scored one run.
For Rowan, catcher Nicolina Veneziano (sr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) recorded two doubles, one RBI and one run scored. Left fielder Jennifer Arcella (so. Hillsdale, NJ/Pascack Valley) contributed with a triple, two RBIs and one run scored. First baseman Stephanie Labas (jr. Millville, NJ/Millville) and shortstop Ashley Minch (sr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) each added two hits. Minch also scored one run. Right fielder Lauren Davis (sr. Ewing, NJ/Ewing) had one hit and one run scored.
The Cougars took the lead 4-1 in the third inning. Cegielski scored the first run on an error and Scopellito also crossed the plate on an error. Schuh drove in Melchionna with a single to center field. Moorehead had a RBI single, scoring Schuh. Kean registered one run in the fourth. Banz reached base on an error and later came home on Melchionna’s base hit to right field.
Rowan trailed 5-2 after one run in the fifth inning. Veneziano led off with a double to center field. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Arcella. The Profs rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Minch had a single and crossed the plate on Arcella’s triple. Arcella went home on a wild pitch.
Right-hander Katie Trotter (jr. Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) was the winning pitcher in the second contest. Trotter (2-0) went 2.2 innings in relief. She allowed one earned run on three hits and had three strikeouts. Yard (16-9) threw two innings in the loss. She gave up two unearned runs on three hits.
The score was tied 6-6 going into the seventh inning. The Cougars had a RBI single by Schuh that sent home Cegielski in the top half. The Profs tied it when Trotter crossed the plate on an error in the bottom. Trotter led off with a double to left field. In the eighth, center fielder Megan Becker (sr. Collingdale, PA/Academy Park) was placed on second because of the international tiebreaker rule. Second baseman Nicole Escudero (jr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) had a sacrifice bunt and Becker went to third. Davis plated Becker for the winning run with a single to right field.
Third baseman Julie Leskanic (sr. West Milford, NJ/West Milford) and Arcella each totaled two hits in four at bats and one RBI. Leskanic posted a double and a triple while Arcella scored two runs. Davis ended the game with two hits (three at bats) and two RBIs. Minch chipped in with a double (three hits), two RBIs and one run scored. Trotter and Labas registered one hit and one run scored apiece.
Schuh led Kean with two hits (four at bats), three RBIs and a home run. Moorehead recorded two homers in four at bats. Melchionna collected two hits in four trips to the plate and one run scored. Cegielski added two hits (three at bats) and two runs scored.
The Profs were up 4-3 after four innings. The Cougars scored two runs in the fifth inning. Banz came home when Scopellito lined out. Melchionna tallied a RBI double to left field that scored Cegielski. Moorehead recorded a solo shot to left field for a 6-4 advantage in the top half of the sixth. Rowan tied the score with two runs in the bottom. Davis recorded a sacrifice fly that brought home Arcella and Becker followed on an error.
Rowan is home again on Tuesday, April 24 against The College of New Jersey at 3 p.m.
