BOX SCORE (Game #1)
BOX SCORE (Game #2)

UNION, N.J. – No. 20 William Paterson (28-8, 11-5 NJAC) clinched a berth for the upcoming New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Softball Tournament with a 1-0 and 2-0 sweep at Kean (22-16, 9-7 NJAC) April 24.

The Pioneers currently sit in third place in the league standings with two conference games remaining.  The top six teams will qualify for the NJAC Tournament that begins Tuesday, May 1, at campus sites.

GAME ONE
Senior Michele Graham (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) threw a two-hitter and freshman first baseman Jessica Phillips (Woolwich, N.J./Kingsway Regional) drove in the game's only run with a seventh-inning single as WP took the opener, 1-0.

Senior outfielder Raquel Roder (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) sparked the Pioneers with a one-out double to right-center field during the top of the seventh.  She moved up to third base thanks to a passed ball before being replaced by pinch runner Laura Henriquez (Westampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional).  Phillips then sent a base hit into center field, plating Henriquez for the winning run.

Roder, Phillips and sophomore shortstop Katelyn Miele (Flanders, N.J./Pope John XXIII) accounted for the Pioneers' three hits.  Graham (14-3) struck out three without issuing a walk for the complete-game shutout.

Courtney Yard suffered the loss for the Cougars (16-10), surrendering one unearned run while registering four strikeouts and a walk.

GAME TWO
Both of WP's runs came during the top half of the fourth inning as the Pioneers finished the day with a 2-0 victory.

Miele led off the frame with a double to center, and Roder's base hit and advancement on the throw gave William Paterson runners on second and third with zero outs.  Phillips lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to deliver Miele, and sophomore designated player Rachel Cannata (Waldwick, N.J./Paramus Catholic) knocked in Roder with a ball hit into right field.

Kean threatened with two runners on base and one out during the home half of the second inning, but junior pitcher Kelsey Hand (Mountainville, N.Y./Cornwall Central) worked out of the jam with a pair of flyouts. 

Miele went 2-for-3, including a double, and scored a run to lead WP at the plate.  Hand improved to 7-2, scattering five hits and striking out one Cougar.

Maria Scopellito was 2-for-3 with a double for Kean.  Yard again pitched the complete game (16-11), giving up two runs on five hits.

William Paterson will finish non-conference play Thursday, April 26, with a pair of games at DeSales at 3:30 p.m.