CLERMONT, Fla. (3/21/12) – The Kean
University softball team split in action at the National Training
Center on Wednesday afternoon, falling to Concordia University
Wisconsin (5-2), before exploding for a season-high 12 runs in the
six-inning win over Wesleyan University (12-1).
GAME ONE: Concordia-Wisconsin Tames Cougars with 5-2
Win
Concordia took advantage of four Kean errors in defeating the
Cougars 5-2 in the opener for both teams on Wednesday
afternoon.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when sophomore
right-fielder Megan Cegielski reached on an error,
stole second, moved over to third on a passed ball and then scored
on a passed ball.
In the top of the second inning, CUW took the lead for good, as
they took advantage of a passed ball, throwing error and
back-to-back sacrifice RBI bunts.
Concordia-Wisconsin extended the lead to 3-1 in the top of the
fifth inning on a RBI single by Sarah Cochran.
The Cougars cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth
following a lead-off triple by sophomore Kelly
Moorehead, (pictured left), who then scored on a passed
ball.
CUW tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning to
pull away for the win.
Rookie centerfielder Maria Scopollito had a
pair of hits, while Moorehead and sophomore left fielder
Sandra Binkiewicz each added a hit.
GAME TWO: Cougars Score Seven in Sixth Inning to
Pull Away With 12-1 Win Over Wesleyan
The Cougars plated seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to
break open the game and post a 12-1 win over Wesleyan University
(Conn.) in six innings in the nightcap on Wednesday evening.
Leading 5-1, the first three Cougars reached base in the top of the
sixth when Sandra Binkiewicz drove in catcher
Jillian Martin with a one-out single. Rookie
right-hander Courtney Yard followed with a
bases-loaded walk and third baseman Courtney
Melchionna drove in the third run with a RBI single to
right field. After Binkiewicz came home on a passed ball,
Maria Scopollito had a RBI single to bring home
Yard and the Cougars would close out the scoring when Melchionna
and Scopollito each came home on passed balls.
Kean took a 1-0 lead on a two-out triple by Binkiewicz (pictured
left) and extended the lead to 3-0 in the top of third inning on a
RBI double by Binkiewicz, who later scored on an inning-extending
error.
Wesleyan cut the lead to 3-1 when Ashley McLaren and
Dana Leavy opened the inning with back-to-back
triples.
In the top of the fourth, the Cougars tacked on two more runs on
a RBI triple by senior shortstop Alicia Banz and a
RBI groundout by Megan Cegielski.
Binkiewicz finished a homerun short of the cycle, finishing
3-of-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Second baseman
Katie Schuh and Yard each added two
hits.
Yard (5-2) went the distance, scattering five hits and one walk,
while striking out six batters and only allowing one run.
The Cougars close out their Spring Break trip at the National
Training Center on Thursday, when they face Manchester College (1
p.m.) and Wellesley College (3 p.m.).
