UNION, NJ (March 16, 2023) – Senior Olivia Warner gave up five hits and four RBIs in two games, but the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team was swept by Kean University on Thursday in a non-conference doubleheader at Cougar Field.
The sweep marked four straight one-run losses for Stevens. The Ducks fell 2-1 in the opener in nine innings before losing 5-4 in the night game. The wins pushed Kean to 10-4 on the season, including five straight wins. The Ducks fell to 5-7, with six of their seven losing by two runs or less. Thursday’s doubleheader marked the first meeting between the teams.
Eliza Filus was Kean’s leader that day. In the first game, she led the team with two hits. In the second game, Ella Filus had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run to power the Cougars’ offense.
“One-run losses are really tough,” head coach emily kaczmarek saying. “I think both teams had some really strong defensive plays. For us though, I think our high points were high, but our low points were really low in some key moments of both games and ultimately that ended up being the That made the difference.” we need to close that gap; our defense needs to be able to support our offense. Overall, it was two competitive games today, but we came up short.”
The first game was the lowest scoring game of the season for the Ducks with the teams combining for only three runs.
Stevens stranded runners on first and second in the first inning. With two out, sophomore Rachel Prescott walked to put on a runner on first. Warner then singled in the next, but they were unable to generate a run.
After getting out of a bind in the bottom of the second, Stevens was able to put two runners on on third via a walk and error, but was again unable to bring a run home.
Senior erin creis (1-4) was superb in the first set despite suffering defeat. In seven shutout innings, he allowed just three hits and struck out three.
At the top of the seventh, first year Emily Wohlleber he hit a leadoff single to give Stevens some momentum as they tried to score the first run of the game. Junior carolyn yahn he pinch-ran for Wohlleber and reached second two batters later on a fielding error by shortstop Kean. Stevens couldn’t bring the running back in scoring position home despite a second Cougar error when Annabella Marino (5-1) retired in the fifth year. Meg Halloran to end the threat. Kreis retired Kean in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
With Halloran starting at second to start the eighth, Prescott grounded but advanced Halloran to third. Warner then reached on a fielder’s pick as the Cougars tried to snap Halloran at home, but were unsuccessful when the Ducks’ center fielder ran home with the first run of the game.
Kean responded in the bottom of the eighth frame to tie things up, forcing another tackle. After the runner was tagged to second to start the inning, the Cougars had three straight with Melody Caces scoring in the first.
In the ninth, second year emma ruiz hit a two-out single up the middle, but the second-year pinch runner megan curtis He threw himself out trying to score from the second to end the danger.
After ending the Ducks threat, Marino moved to second and scored on a pair of wild pitches to send Kean to the win.
Marino (5-1) pitched all nine innings for Kean and allowed seven hits and one unearned run while striking out three.
After the tough loss in the opener, Stevens wasted no time getting on the board in the second game when they hammered out in the first inning. After Halloran reached on a bunt, he was able to advance to second on the ensuing at-bat and then to third on a wild pitch. Warner then hit an RBI single to score Halloran.
Kean responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first freshman inning. Ella Tozduman (3-3). Filus, Karly Messina and Sydney Hixenbaugh each had an RBI as Kean took the lead early.
Moving to third, Warner hit another RBI single to bring Halloran home. Halloran had singled with one out and reached second on Kean’s error. Warner drove an 0-1 pitch down the right-field line to score Halloran from second.
However, Kean got the run back on Autaum Hilyer’s single.
Warner and Halloran connected again in the fifth. Halloran this time reached on another Kean error and advanced to second on the play. Two batters later, Warner hit another RBI single to cut the deficit to one.
Behind a career, graduate student siobhan cottell he hit a leadoff double to immediately put a runner in scoring position for the Ducks. Fifth year lexi gregule pinch ran for Cottell, Senior alex schollig sacrificed Gregule to third and Ruiz followed with a bunt single to score Gregule and tie the game. However, Kean capitalized on a Stevens error in the bottom half of the inning, with Marino driving in Messina with an RBI single for what would turn out to be the winning run.
Abby Burns (3-0) pitched all seven innings for Kean. She allowed nine hits, four runs and struck out six. Tozduman lasted 5 1-3 innings, allowing seven hits and five runs. She registered two strikeouts. First year ashley allen he pitched two-thirds of an inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
Until next time: Softball kicks off the MAC Freedom game as they head to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to take on King’s College (PA) in a doubleheader. The first game is scheduled for 11 am The two teams split last year’s matchups in Weehawken. Links for live stats and videos are posted on StevensDucks.com.
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