Mahwah, NJ: #5 Kean University used back to back runs in the seventh and eighth innings to defeat #2 Ramapo College, 2-1 in the opening game of the 2010 NJAC softball tournament.
The 2010 NJAC softball tournament now moves to The College of New Jersey, as they are the #1 seed in this year’s tournament. The Cougars (26-14) advance to play #3 Rowan University on Friday at 3:00 PM while the Roadrunners (27-14) now drop to the loser’s bracket and will play #1 The College of New Jersey on Friday at 11:00 AM. The remaining bracket will be announced following game six of the tournament.
Ramapo got on the board in the second inning when junior
Stephanie Malgeri (Montville, NJ) reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a pass ball before scoring on sophomore Tiffany Fischer’s single to right field to go up 1-0.
The Cougars scored in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single to center field by sophomore Alicia Banz, rookie Kelsey Hannon (Saddle Brook, NJ) scored from second on the play. The Cougars took the lead in the top of the eighth inning as senior Allison Thibault (Garfield, NJ) reached on a single and advanced to second on a Ramapo error before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Lindsay Kennedy (Parsippany, NJ). After an infield single that put runner’s on first and third for the Cougars, junior Katie Yard (Hillsborough, NJ) laced an RBI single to center field to put Kean up, 2-1.
Ramapo would bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom half of the inning with two outs, as rookie
Ashley Schirripa (Staten Island, NY) walked which brought Malgeri to the plate. The Cougars would get Malgeri to fly out to deep right field for the final out of the inning to preserve the win.
Senior Cassie Shotwell (Dunellen, NJ) raised her record to 14-6 with the win as she only allowed four hits and struck out seven while walking four in the complete game. Thibault was 2-4 with one run scored while Yard was also 2-4 with one RBI. Shotwell was 2-3 in the game.
Junior
Deanna Giordano (Clifton, NJ) fell to 11-8 on the year as she struck out three and walked none. Schirripa, senior
Katie Donnelly (North Haledon, NJ), rookie
Kelsey Higgins (Wall, NJ) and sophomore
Tiffany Fischer (Woodcliff Lake, NJ) each collected a hit for Ramapo.