Box Score GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University softball team fell to Kean University, 4-2 in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament.

Right-hander Courtney Yard (jr. Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) earned the win for the Cougars. She (18-6) pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits and struck out four. Righty Krysti Maronski (sr. Woodbury Heights, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) suffered the loss. She (17-5) gave up four runs, two earned and scattered six hits in seven innings. Maronski struck out 11 batters.
 
For Kean, center fielder Sandra Binkiewicz (sr. Belleville, NJ/Belleville) went two for four with a triple, a RBI and one run scored. Shortstop Kelly Moorehead (sr. Hicksville, NY/Hicksville) and Yard each drove in a run. Catcher Jill Martin (sr. Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) scored twice, while right fielder Megan Cegielski (sr. Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central) crossed the plate one time.
 
Third baseman Jessica Phillips (jr. Woolwich, NJ/Kingsway Reg.) had two hits (three at bats) with a double. She scored one time and knocked in a run. First baseman Damariz Mercado (fr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) hit a double and had one RBI. Catcher Meagan Lee (sr. Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) had a double and Maronski scored a run.
 
Kean opened the scoring in the first inning when Moorehead singled in Cegielski. The Profs tied the game in the second on a RBI single by Phillips. The Cougars regained the lead in the fifth when Yard scored Martin with a sacrifice fly. Kean added two insurance runs in the seventh. Binkiewicz plated Martin with a triple to right center and scored on an error. Mercado doubled home Phillips in the bottom half to close the scoring.
 
Kean improves to 30-9 overall and Rowan has a 30-10 record. The fourth-seeded Cougars will face the winner of #5 Richard Stockton College and #2 Montclair State University on Friday, May 2 at 3 p.m. The third-seeded Profs will play the winner of #6 Rutgers-Camden and #1 William Paterson on Friday, May 2 at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students with ID, senior citizens and children. 
William Paterson will host the remainder of the NJAC Championship Tournament on Friday-Sunday, May 2-4.  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 conference tournament are available at njacsports.com.

Tue., April 29 (at higher seeds)
Game 1:  #6 Rutgers-Camden at #1 William Paterson University (play suspended after one inning with Rutgers-Camden leading 3-2)
Game 2:  #5 Richard Stockton College (21-13) at #2 Montclair State University (34-4), ppd. to 5/1
Game 3:  #4 Kean University 4, #3 Rowan University 2
 
Thu., May 1 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #6 Rutgers-Camden at #1 William Paterson University, TBA (resumption of suspended game)
Game 2: #5 Richard Stockton College (21-13) at #2 Montclair State University (34-4), 5 p.m.

Fri., May 2 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 4:  loser game 1 vs. loser game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 5:  winner game 1 vs. #3 Rowan University, 1 p.m.
Game 6:  winner game 2 vs. #4 Kean University, 3 p.m.

IF FOUR TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 6:

Sat., May 3 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 7:  winner game 5 vs. winner game 6, 10 a.m.
Game 8:  winner game 4 vs. loser game 6, noon
Game 9:  loser game 7 vs. winner game 8, 2 p.m.

Sun., May 4 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 10:  winner game 7 vs. winner game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11:  same teams as game 10 (if necessary), TBA

IF FIVE TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 6:

Sat., May 3 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 7:  loser game 5 vs. loser game 6, 10 a.m.
Game 8:  winner game 4 vs. winner game 5, noon
Game 9:  winner game 6 vs. winner game 7, 2 p.m.

IF TWO TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 9:

Sun., May 4 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 10:  winner game 8 vs. winner game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11:  same teams as game 10 (if necessary), TBA

IF THREE TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 9:

Sun., May 4 (William Paterson Pioneer Softball Field)
Game 10:  winner game 8 vs. loser game 9, 11 a.m.
Game 11:  winner game 9 vs. winner game 10, 1 p.m.