Rowan University Opens NJAC Softball Play with Two Wins Over Kean in Glassboro

On Saturday in Glassboro, Rowan University’s #4 ranked softball team began its New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule by winning both games of a doubleheader against Kean University. The Profs won the first game in extra innings, 5-4, followed by a 5-2 win in game two.

In game one, Kean held a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. The Cougars scored two runs in the fourth inning and added another in the sixth. Maya Thompson had an RBI double, and Kiley Petak added an RBI single in the fourth.

Later, Gina Mahlik drove in Thompson with a double to give Kean a three-run cushion. During that time, Kean pitcher Nikki Lusnia kept Rowan to just one hit through five innings, putting pressure on the home team’s offense.

However, in the bottom of the sixth, Rowan’s lineup broke through. Liz McCaffery and McKenzie Melvin both got on base to start the inning. McCaffery scored on a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 3-1. Then Payton MacNair hit a triple to bring in Melvin. That made it 3-2.

Right after, Abigail Pawlowski hit a single to left field to tie the score at 3-3. With two outs, Kate Evick doubled, and pinch-runner Mikayla Dansky scored, giving Rowan a 4-3 lead.

Kean answered in the seventh with an RBI single by Andee Perseponko to make it 4-4. The Cougars thought they took the lead on a hit to left field, but a runner was called out for leaving early, ending the inning.

In the eighth, the game followed the international tiebreaker rule, placing a runner on second to start each half-inning. Emily McCutcheon entered as a pitcher for Rowan, replacing Rylee Lutz. McCutcheon got all three outs in order, stopping Kean’s chance to score.

In the bottom half, Melvin started on second base. MacNair was intentionally walked, but after two popups, Aly Reim dropped a single into left field, just out of reach of the fielder. Melvin scored from second, and Rowan won 5-4.

Melvin had a big game, scoring twice and stealing two bases. Rylee Lutz pitched seven innings for Rowan. She gave up four runs on eight hits, walked one, and struck out six. McCutcheon pitched the eighth and earned the win. Melvin scored twice and stole two bases.

In game two, Rowan scored first. In the third inning, McCaffery reached base, and Melvin doubled to bring her in. Then MacNair hit an infield single to score Melvin, putting the Profs up 2-0. Kean came back with a solo home run from Maya Thompson in the fourth, cutting the lead to 2-1. In the fifth, Bella Truelove tied the game at 2-2 with a pinch-hit RBI single.

Rowan answered in the bottom of the same inning. With two runners on base, Cami Morgan came in to pinch hit and hit a double into the left-center gap, giving Rowan a 3-2 lead. Next, Reim hit a sacrifice fly to bring in another run. Then Evick beat out a ball deep in the hole at shortstop, allowing one more run that gave Rowan a 5-2 lead.

McCutcheon pitched the full seven innings in game two. She gave up six hits, allowed two runs, did not walk anyone, and struck out five. The win brought her record to 11-0 for the season.

Melvin had two more hits in the second game, finishing the day with four runs scored, three hits, and two stolen bases. MacNair, Reim, Evick, and Morgan each had one RBI in game two. Thompson and Mahlik both had two hits for Kean in the doubleheader.

After these two wins, Rowan improved to 18-2 overall and 2-0 in the NJAC. Kean dropped to 9-13 and 0-2 in the conference.