UNION, NJ – Rutgers-Newark could not hold off defending New Jersey Athletic Conference champion Kean University in the second game of a doubleheader despite three hits and three RBIs by freshman first baseman Gabby Spinella. Kean took the twinbill, 8-0 and 7-6.

BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
Kean 8, Rutgers-Newark 0
Kean 7, Rutgers-Newark 6

IN THE SECOND GAME, the Raiders cut the Kean lead to one in the bottom of the seventh on a Cougar fielding error, but the tying run was stranded at second base.

In the first inning, a lead-off bunt single by senior centerfielder Jessica Zelaya was followed by a single up the middle by freshman shortstop Carrie Wan before sophomore catcher Monica Liotto walked to load the bases. Spinella, who went three for four, singled to centerfield to bring in Zelaya and Wan before sophomore designated player Monica Bagan single to re-load the bases and chase starting pitcher Courtney Smyth. Sophomore leftfielder Nicole Odell walked against reliever Kimberly Prevedel to make it 3-1.

In the second inning, back-to-back infield errors by the Cougars set up an RBI single through the middle by Spinella put the Raider up 4-1.

But Kean leftfielder Sandra Binkiewicz ripped a two-out, two-run double into left centerfield to put the Cougars into the lead, 5-4, in the fourth. Third baseman Courtney Melchionna belted a two-run homer to spark the outburst. Binkiewicz also hammered a two-out solo home run to right centerfield in the first inning.

Kean catcher Nicole Scarillo singled home a run in the top of the sixth before Liotto led off the bottom of the frame with a home run to leftfield to keep it a one-run game.

The Cougars literally stole the win in the seventh on a two-out double steal with pinch runner Sam Gniazdowski taking home.

IN THE OPENING GAME, Kean erupted for six runs in the first inning and rode the pitching of Smyth to the win.

Cougar centefielder Lindsay Kennedy keyed the first-inning outburst with a three-run double as Kean collected six hits against rookie righthander Liane Drastal (1-5).

Drastal then blanked the Cougars (6-10, NJAC 4-0) without a hit for the next 4-2/3 innings before a bunt single by rightfielder Megan Cegielski set up a game-ending two-run home run by shortstop Alicia Banz to make it 8-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Drastal struck out two and walked three.

Smith (2-7) allowed only an infield single by freshman designated player AJ Affholter in the second inning. She struck out two and walked no one as she faced just one batter beyond the minimum.

Rutgers-Newark (4-14, NJAC 0-4) steps out of the NJAC for a visit to neighboring FDU-Florham on Thursday at 3 p.m.