Softball Powers Past
Rutgers-Newark
UNION, N.J. - The Kean University softball team
closed out the regular season with a pair of shutout victories over
Rutgers-Newark in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on
Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (19-17, 10-8 NJAC) posted a 10-0, five inning
victory in the opener on the strength of junior Cassie
Shotwell (Dunellen, N.J.) both on the mound and at the
plate. In the nightcap, sophomore Jess Mattos
(Carteret, N.J.) allowed just two hits in the 11-0,
six-inning win over the Scarlet Raiders (5-31, 0-18 NJAC).
GAME ONE: Cougars Post 10-0 Victory in
Opener
Senior shortstop Sara Steinman (Springfield,
N.J.) and junior centerfielder Allison Lizzi
(Cherry Hill, N.J.) hit back-to-back homeruns in the
five-run first inning, as the Cougars 
posted the 10-0 shutout victory in the opener.
Senior catcher Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp.,
N.J.) led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk,
and after stealing second base, she would score the game's first
run on a Scarlet Raider error that also allowed sophomore left
fielder Lindsay Kennedy (Parsippany, N.J.) get on
base.
One batter later, Steinman hit a two-run homer over the
centerfield fence, extending her school record to 16 career
homeruns, and Lizzi (pictured right) followed with a solo shot to
left field to extend the Kean lead to 4-0.
The Cougars tacked on one more run in the inning, as senior
first baseman Christy Giamella (Bound Brook, N.J.)
walked and would score on a sacrifice fly by senior right-fielder
Nikki Castagno (Staten Island, N.Y.).
Kean added two runs in the second inning on back-to-back RBI
doubles by Steinman and junior right-hander Cassie
Shotwell (pictured left) to lead 7-0, before adding one
run in the third and two in the fourth in the five-inning
victory.
Shotwell (11-8) earned the complete game shutout victory on the
mound, allowing just four hits and had five strikeouts while
finishing 3-of-3 at the plate with one RBI and two runs
scored.
Steinman finished 2-of-2 with three runs scored and three RBI,
while Giamella was 1-of-2 with one RBI and one run scored.
For Rutgers-Newark, sophomore centerfielder Jessica Zelaya
(Kearny, N.J.) led the game off with single before leaving
with an injury, as she finished 1-of-1.
GAME TWO: Kean Earns Sweep with 11-0 Victory
in Nightcap
Right-hander Jess Mattos allowed just two hits
and senior Sara Steinman finished 3-of-4 with
three runs scored and three RBI in the 11-0 victory in six innings
in the nightcap.
After a scoreless first two innings of play, the Cougars took a
1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, as Steinman had a one-out
single up the middle and would score later in the inning on a
Rutgers-Newark error.
The Cougars broke the game open with a four runs in the top of
the fourth inning to extend the lead to 5-0, as sophomore
Lindsay Kennedy had a fielder's choice RBI,
Steinman delivered a RBI single to left field and rookie
Alicia Banz (Carteret, N.J.) added a sacrifice fly
in the inning. 
Kean added six more runs in the sixth inning, when they sent 12
batters to the plate in the inning. After senior
Jesse Buchanan and Kennedy both reached on errors
to open the inning, Steinman tripled to right field to drive both
of them in.
Junior Allison Lizzi followed with a triple to
drive in Steinman and Mattos had a double down the right field line
to score Lizzi for the 9-0 lead. On Buchanan's second at bat
in the inning, she delivered a bases-loaded, two-RBI single to
right field to drive in the final two runs of the game.
Mattos (pictured right) recorded four strike-outs and finished
2-of-4 at the plate. Buchanan added a pair of hits, while
scoring twice and driving in two runs.
For Rutgers-Newark, junior centerfielder Sam Weer
(Willingboro, N.J.) and sophomore right-fielder Courtney
Breauxsaus (Plainfield, N.J.) each had singles.
