UNION, N.J. (4/17/18) - Cayleen Rizo and Katie Debbie each tallied a solo home run as the #18 Kean University softball team split a doubleheader with the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers-Newark on Tuesday afternoon at Cougar Field.
Game 1: Rutgers-Newark 4, Kean 3 (9 Inn.)
Olivia Zengel went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Maria Bonfanti went 2-for-3 as the Scarlet Raiders (18-10, 4-5 NJAC) used a ninth inning rally to hand the Cougars (20-7, 5-4 NJAC) their third straight loss.
Rizo gave Kean a 2-0 lead in the third with a two RBI single, which scored both Zengel and Julie Raba. Newark answered with single runs in the third and the fifth to even everything up at 2-2. The contest remained 2-2 into the ninth, when a Samantha Krakower RBI single put the Cougars in front 3-2.
The Scarlet Raiders responded with two runs on three hits, including a walk off RBI single from Jackie Arute to steal game one from Kean.
Jacqueline Riley fanned five batters in the loss.
Game 2: Kean 6, Rutgers-Newark 5
Riley went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Zengel finished 2-for-4 with two RBI's as the Cougars (21-7, 6-4 NJAC) snapped a three game losing streak with a one run nightcap victory.
Debbie tallied the first run of game two as she homered to right field, but RU answered with three runs on three hits to take a 3-1 lead. Kean got two more runs back in the third with a RBI groundout by Rizo and a RBI fly out by Erin Hollyfield.
Kean continued to cross the dish in the fifth, when two runs came in on a wild play that saw Riley collect an RBI and be thrown out at third. The Cougars led 5-3 entering the bottom half of the fifth. After RU put a run on in the bottom half of the inning, Rizo tried to give Kean some breathing room with a solo shot to left center and a 6-4 lead in the seventh.
Newark nearly pulled off another comeback as a two out double had the Cougars holding a 6-5 advantage. Fortunately, Kean was able to secure the final out on the very next at-bat.
Kaitlin Stahlbrand struck out one batter and improved to 9-3 overall in the victory.
Head Coach Margie Acker and the Cougars will return to action on Saturday, Apr. 21st, hosting the Lions of the College of New Jersey for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
