UNION, N.J. (4/7/08) - The College of New Jersey earned a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference victories, defeating Kean University in NJAC softball action on Monday afternoon. The Lions (16-10, 4-2 NJAC) won the opener, 5-2, before scoring runs in the second, third and fourth innings of the nightcap to earn the 5-0 victory over the Cougars (16-4, 3-3 NJAC). GAME ONE: Three-Run Third Lifts TCNJ to 5-2 Victory in Opener
Sophomore shortstop Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, N.J.) was 2-for-4 with a homerun and four RBI to lead The College of New Jersey to the 5-2 victory in the opener.

Seavers broke the scoreless tie in the third inning, as her two-out, two-run homerun to centerfield hit the top of the fence and bounced over for the 2-0 lead. Two batters later, senior first baseman Christina Lizzi (Wyckoff, N.J.) followed with a RBI single through the left side to drive in sophomore third baseman Rachel Greeby (Yardley, Pa.).

Kean got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior shortstop Johanna Hedler (South Plainfield, N.J.) doubled to left field to drive in senior Katie Hicks (Medford Lakes, N.J.) and sophomore Allison Thibault (Garfield, N.J.), who had doubled and singled, respectively, earlier in the inning.

In the top of the seventh, TCNJ added a pair of insurance runs when Seavers doubled down the left field line for the 5-2 advantage.

For Kean, Thibault was the lone Cougar with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-of-3 with one run scored.
Greeby and Lizzi were each 2-of-4 for TCNJ, while freshman Steph Cintron (Northvale, N.J.) scored twice.

On the mound, sophomore right-hander Ashley Minervini (Cliffside Park, N.J.) improved to 9-5 with the complete game victory, as she scattered eight hits and struck out three. Rookie Courtney Smyth (Abington, Pa.) went the distance for Kean, as she struck out six batters in falling to 7-2 this season.
GAME TWO: Cougars Fall in Nightcap, 5-0
Freshman pitcher Alex Sietsma (Glen Rock, N.J.) allowed just two hits and struck out eight batters to lead The College of New Jersey to the 5-0 shutout victory over Kean in the nightcap.

The Lions scored the only run they would eventually need in the second inning, as Sietsma helped herself out with an RBI single down the right field line to drive in senior Christina Lizzi.
The next inning, TCNJ tacked on a pair of runs when freshman Christina Cawley (Riverton, N.J.) scored on an error and junior Kelly Armstrong (Jackson, N.J.) added a RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Sophomore Ellen Seavers added her second homerun of the afternoon in the fifth inning, with the two-out, two run shot to left field for the 5-0 advantage.

Kean threatened in the sixth inning, when senior Johanna Hedler led off with a walk and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.). Junior Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) followed with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners, however Sietsma struck out the next two Cougars to get out of the inning.

Sietsma improved to 5-2 with the complete game shutout, as Kean senior right-hander Kristen Hennings (Jackson, N.J.) went the distance in the losing effort to fall to 3-2 this season.

At the plate for Kean, Steinman and senior Kara Schultz (Clinton, N.J.) had the lone Cougar hits.

For TCNJ, Seavers was 2-of-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while senior catcher Lauren Musacchia (Westfield, N.J.) also had a pair of hits.

Kean traveled to Rutgers-Newark for a NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 8. First pitch was set for 3 p.m.