Mahwah, NJ: The #16 Kean University softball team swept NJAC rival Ramapo 4-2 in both games as they moved to 34-5 overall and 14-4 in the conference while the Roadrunners drop to 22-12 overall and 13-5 in the NJAC.
 
Game One
Julie Raba connected on a solo home run in the top of the first inning to give the Cougars a quick 1-0 lead. Ramapo would tie the game with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Krista Verrino singled with one out before Carli Egan walked to push Verrino to second. Kristen Ruggiero then laced a two-strike single into right-center field which allowed Verrino to score, 1-1.
 
Kean scored single runs in the third and fifth innings to extend their lead 3-1. In the third, Katie Debbie walked before the bases were loaded for Raba who punched a one-out single into center field to plate Debbie for a 2-1 lead. In the fifth, Raba once again picked up an RBI with a double down the left field line which allowed Olivia Zengel to score, 3-1. A sac fly from Sarah Zengel with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh allowed Caroline Ratti to score as the Cougars extended their lead, 4-1.
 
Ramapo cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning when Verrino connected on her first home run of the season, 2-4. Ramapo could not push another run across the plate as Kean earned a 4-2 win.
 
Erin Fitzsimmons (13-8) took the loss for Ramapo on the mound. She scattered six hits while she struck out six and walked three. Verrino led the team at the plate finishing 3-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
 
Jackie Riley (15-1) earned the win; she struck out six and walked to while surrendering eight Roadrunners hits. Raba collected three hits for the Cougars including three RBI to lead the team.
 
Game Two
Ratti would lead off the top of the first inning with a solo home run before O. Zengel scored on a pass ball later in the inning for a 2-0 lead.
 
Ramapo cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fifth when Jackie Howarth ripped a double to the right-center field gap which allowed Sarah Browning to score from first base, 1-2. Browning reached on a hit by pitch earlier in the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Mahon led off with a walk before pinch runner Thu Deo came into the game at first base. Deo moved to second on a sac bunt from Olivia Wang before moving to third on bunt single from Jackie Howarth. Verrino then drove home Deo with the game-tying run with a sac fly to deep center field, 2-2.
 
In the top of the eight inning, Kean pushed two runs across to take a 4-2 lead. Raba started on second base before she moved to third on a sac bunt. S. Zengel then drove her in with a single to left field, 3-2. Gabby Fredette then punched in the hole at shortstop with the bases loaded to plate Rizzo, 4-2.
 
The Roadrunners could not score in the bottom half of the inning as Kean came away with a 4-2 extra inning victory.
 
Jessica Becchetti (8-3) took the loss for Ramapo. She struck out four, walked two and scattered ten hits over 7.2 innings of work. Fitzsimmons recorded the final two outs for Ramapo in the eighth.
 
The Roadrunners will return to action in the NJAC Tournament on Tuesday. The full bracket, including matchups will be released by the conference once all regular season games are completed.