Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 RALEIGH, NC  – The Rowan University softball team split a doubleheader at William Peace University in the season opener on Friday.  The Profs won the first game, 3-1 and the Pacers had an 8-7 victory in the second. 
 
In the first game, right-hander Beth Ann Hyland (sr. East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) threw five innings for the win.  She only allowed three hits and had six strikeouts.  Allison Nolan (sr. Middletown, NJ/Middletown S.) went the last two innings for the save.  Righty Kelsey Durham was the losing pitcher. She (1-3) gave up seven hits and three runs, one earned. 
 
All of Rowan's runs came in the sixth inning.  Shortstop Shilah Snead (sr. Malaga, NJ/Delsea Reg.) led off with a home run to right field.  Designated player Ashley DeYoung (jr. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) had a single and was replaced by pinch runner Kristina Mueller (fr. Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge).  Right fielder Morgan Smith (so. Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central) reached base on a fielder's choice and Mueller advanced to third on an error.  Mueller came home on a wild pitch.  Second baseman Carly Anderson (fr. Nutley, NJ/Nutley) drove in Smith with a double.   
 
Snead ended the game with two hits in two at bats.  She also had a double, one stolen base and two walks.  First baseman MacKenzie Juodaitis (fr. Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) recorded a double in her first collegiate at bat.  Center fielder Sammy Vradenburg (jr. Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) contributed with one hit and pinch hitter Sara Finnegan (jr. South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) had a single. 
 
William Peace's lone run came in the bottom of the seventh.  Second baseman Caroline Womble had a RBI single that scored third baseman Lindsey Wiggins who had a double.  Both players had two hits in the game. 
 
Right-hander Morgan Farmer had the win on the mound in the nightcap.  In 6.1 innings, she surrendered six earned runs.  Durham pitched 0.2 innings and recorded the save.  Pitcher Ashley Lesch (so. Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) took the loss.      
 
For the Pacers (6-4), designated player Heather McLean and catcher Shay Poteat were two for four with two RBIs and two runs scored.  Center fielder Morgan Bryant contributed with two hits (two at bats) and two RBIs.  Durham chipped in with two RBIs.
 
Rowan third baseman Nicole Paiotti (so. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) collected three hits in four at bats, two doubles, two RBIs and one run scored.  DeYoung was two for four with two RBIs.  Anderson recorded her first homer wearing the Brown and Gold.  Center fielder Gianna Genello (fr. West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) knocked in one run and Snead scored twice.       
 
William Peace had an 8-2 lead after the second inning.  Rowan trailed by four after scoring one run in the fourth and fifth innings.  Anderson led off the fourth with a solo shot to center field.  In the fifth, DeYoung had a RBI single, scoring pinch runner Sierra Machinski (so. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.). 
 
The Profs continued to battle and tallied three runs in the top of the seventh.  Snead walked and stole second base.  She crossed the plate on Paiotti's double down the left field line.  DeYoung singled in Paiotti with a hit to right field.  Gianna Decker (fr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) came in to run for DeYoung and she scored on an error.
 
Rowan has four games in the next two days at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, NC.  The Profs play Piedmont College (GA) on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. and Berry College at 2 p.m.  They have games on Sunday, Feb. 28 against Emory University and Salisbury University at 10 a.m. and noon respectively.