Union, NJ: The Ramapo College softball team split a pair of NJAC games today against Kean University. The Cougars (20-6) took game one, 6-1, while the Roadrunners (14-5) won game two, 3-2 in nine innings.
Game One
Kean opened the game with three runs in the top of the first inning when Eliza Filus connected on a three-run home run. Karly Messina made it 4-0 in the fourth inning as she scored following a run down with the Roadrunner defense and a Cougar baserunner between second and first base. Ramapo got one back in the fourth when
Avery Bartolomeo lifted a sac fly to center field which allowed
Mahogany Wheeler to score, 1-4. The Cougars scored one more run in the sixth and seven to extend their lead, 6-1.
K. Messina (5-1) earned the win in the circle for Kean, she worked 4.2 innings with one strikeout and two walks. She scattered five hits and let up one run.
Wheeler (6-4) took the loss for Ramapo, she struck out four and let up eight hits and six runs (five earned) in the complete game.
Game Two
Kean got on the board with one run in the fourth before Ramapo tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Krista Verrino tied the game at one with an RBI single which scored
Anna Messina, 1-1. Neither team would put a run on the board in regulation sending the game into extra innings which uses the international tie-breaker rule. Paige Metz started on second base for Kean in the top of the eighth and later scored on a sac bunt to take a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the eighth, A. Messina was placed on second, moved to third on a bunt single from
Jaclyn Monaco and later scored on a single from Verrino, 3-3.
Gabriella Fredette would start on second base for Kean in the top of the ninth and moved to third on a ground out to shortstop. Ramapo starting pitcher
Marissa DiPaolo then induced an infield pop-up and a strikeout to end the threat.
Melody Gleason pinch ran for
Alexis Corra at second base in the bottom of the ninth for Ramapo before she moved to third base on an infield hit from Wheeler. Following an interference call on Ramapo for the first out of the inning, Bartolomeo came up big with the game-winning sacrifice fly to right field which allowed Gleason to score, 3-2.
DiPaolo (7-1) went the distance for Ramapo in the complete game victory. She struck out nine, walked three and scattered just four hits in nine innings of work. Verrino and Wheeler led the team in game two, each finishing 2-4 at the plate while Verrino posted two RBI.
The Roadrunners return to action when they travel to Steven Institute tomorrow afternoon. They will resume game one from a weather delay on March 24th. The non-conference double header will begin at 3pm.
