WAYNE, N.J. (5/3/14) – Senior Kelly Moorehead smacked a go-ahead three-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth to give the No. 24 Kean University softball team its second-straight victory over No. 5 Montclair State University to eliminate the Red Hawks from the NJAC Tournament. Kean will advance to Sunday's Championship Series against Rowan University needing to win one of two games.
Montclair drew first blood in the top of the first inning, as Alisha Cumberton looped a single to right field, and the next batter walked. After a fly out to center field, Tara Petrucelli singled up the middle, and Cumberton came around to score.
Both pitchers were sharp after that in a rematch of yesterday's sterling pitcher's duel. Courtney Yard (pictured left) had five strikeouts in the first five innings and surrendered just two more hits in that span. Once again, Alex Hill was just a bit better in the opening frames, as she scattered three hits with eight strikeouts in the first five shutout innings.
In the top of the sixth, Montclair scratched another run across with the help of a Kean error and an RBI single by Katie Muglia to make the count 2-0.
With the top of the order due up in the home half of the sixth, Kean had its best chance to score. Megan Cegielski led off the frame with a double down the line, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch a double. Emily Sabo reached on an error and Sandra Binkiewicz was hit by a pitch to put two runners on for the Cougars.
After a popup, Kean sent Moorehead up to bat with two on and two out. The senior shortstop from Hicksville crushed an inside pitch deep to left-centerfield. The ball nearly crashed into the scoreboard as it left the yard for a majestic go-ahead three-run homerun. It was her team-leading sixth round-tripper of the year, but none were bigger.
Montclair put the tying run on base with two outs in the seventh, but Sabo leaped up to snare a line-drive that clinched the game for the Cougars.
Yard earned her 20th win of the year with another complete-game effort. The junior retired 10 in a row at one point, struck out six and allowed just one earned run to outduel Hill.
The Cougars' next game will be Sunday, May 4th, as they take on Rowan University at 11 a.m. at Pioneer Softball Field. Kean will need to win one-of-two games tomorrow against the Profs to win the NJAC Championship.
