WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (14-9-1, 5-5 NJAC) dropped the opening game to visiting Kean (17-6, 7-3 NJAC), 6-1, but fought back for a 2-0 victory to finish the doubleheader April 12.
 
Game One
The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 advantage en route to a 6-1 opening win.
 
Kean took control early with a three-run first inning. Freshman shortstop Cayleen Rizo walked and sophomore second baseman Emily Sabo doubled to left-center field, followed by a wild pitch that plated the first run. Sophomore Emily Bissonnette drove in Sabo with a single up the middle, and an error and base hit loaded the bases. Following a lineout, junior first baseman Tiffany Variello dropped a base hit into shallow right field for a 3-0 score.
 
The Cougars used an Alexis D'Aloisio single up the middle, a groundout, error and bloop hit into shallow center field by Rizo for a 4-0 edge in the third.
 
The Pioneers got on the scoreboard during the home half of the fourth inning. Senior center fielder Kelsey Principe (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany) reached base on a leadoff error, was sacrificed to second by senior designated player Kristen Gardner (Audubon, N.J./Methacton) and later scored thanks to a two-out single up the middle by senior catcher Lachelle Rouse (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook Senior).
 
Kean tacked on a single run in the sixth, taking advantage of a Sabo fielder's choice and a Bissonnette triple to the right-center gap, and another score in the seventh with four straight base hits, the last a soft single by Rizo to the edge of the infield dirt behind the drawn-in second baseman.
 
Rouse finished 1-for-2 and drove in a run. Senior pitcher Kerrin Dys (North Arlington, N.J./North Arlington) allowed three runs, four hits and one walk in 0.1 inning (2-1), and sophomore Meghin Stanton (Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington Regional) surrendered nine hits and three runs (two earned) with one strikeout.
 
Rizo went 3-for-4 and contributed a double and two RBI for Kean. Senior Courtney Yard improved to 11-2, striking out seven and walking one while allowing two hits.
 
Game Two
The Pioneers salvaged a split with a 2-0 victory during the night cap.
 
WP broke through with a single run during its first at-bat. Principe had a one-out single to third base, sophomore shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) reached on an error and Gardner drew a walk to load the bases. Sophomore catcher Kim Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) lifted a sac fly to center field and the Pioneers owned a 1-0 lead.
 
Kim Fryer opened the bottom of the fourth with a base hit up the middle and junior left fielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) drilled an RBI-double to center to double the Pioneers' lead, 2-0.
 
The Cougars had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the seventh inning, but sophomore pitcher Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) got a strikeout and lineout to end the game.
 
Principe finished 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored. Podmajersky (5-4) tossed the complete-game shutout, striking out 11 and walking three while scattering three hits.
 
Sabo finished 2-for-3 for Kean. Senior Stephanie Gilbert (6-3) allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits over 6.0 innings, posting two strikeouts and a walk.
 
William Paterson will host Drew Monday, April 13, at 3:00 p.m.
 
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