Union, NJ (4/18/09) – Junior right-hander Cassie Shotwell (Dunellen, N.J.) earned a complete game shutout in the opener to while junior righthander ELIA PERSICO (Marlton, N.J.) tossed a two-hitter in the second game as Montclair State and Kean split an NJAC doubleheader Kean (15-17, 6-8 NJAC) won the first game 4-0 before the Red Hawks (19-12,7-6 NJAC) scored eight runs in the fourth inning of the nightcap to earn the split with an8-0, five inning victory.

GAME ONE: Shotwell Blanks Montclair State in Opener, 4-0 Junior right-hander Cassie Shotwell earned her second straight complete game shutout victory and drove in the first run of the game in the 4-0 victory over Montclair State in the opener.

After a scoreless four and a half innings of play, the Cougars scored the first run in the bottom of the fourth when Shotwell had a two-out RBI single.  In the inning, senior shortstop Sara Steinman (Springfield, N.J.) led off with a single to right-center and moved over to second on a single by junior centerfielder Allison Lizzi (Cherry Hill, N.J.) to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Senior left-hander KELLY KARP (Edison, N.J.) struck out the next two Cougars before Shotwell singled up the middle to drive in Steinman for the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cougars tacked on two more runs to extend the lead to 3-0.  Rookie second baseman Alicia Banz (Carteret, N.J.) and junior designated player Allison Thibault (Garfield, N.J.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles and senior catcher Jesse Buchanan (Washington Twp., N.J.) followed with a long single off the left centerfield fence to score Banz from second.  Lizzi followed later in the inning with a two-out single to right field to score Thibault for the three-run lead.

The Cougars added another insurance run in the sixth inning when sophomore pinch runner Sarah Hamm (Hackettstown, N.J.) scored on a wild pitch.

Shotwell (8-8) scattered six hits to earn her sixth complete game shutout of the season, allowing one walk with one strikeout.  At the plate, the junior was 2-of-3 with one RBI.  Lizzi also finished 2-of-3 with one RBI, while Banz and Thibault were each 1-of-2 with one run scored.

For Montclair State, sophomore third baseman SAMANTHA DEPKEN (Wycoff, N.J.) was the lone Red Hawk with a multi-hit game, as she finished 2-of-3.  Karp (9-6) recorded five strikeouts on the mound in the losing effort.

GAME TWO: Eight-Run Fourth Inning Lifts MSU, 8-0

Montclair State exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning to defeat the Cougars, 8-0, in five innings in the nightcap to earn the NJAC split.

The Red Hawks sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring the eight runs on six hits and four Cougar errors.  MSU opened the inning with three straight singles, as senior left fielder KELLY KARP drove in senior shortstop JENNIFER JIMENEZ (Linden, N.J.) for the first run of the game.

Freshman designated player ADRIAN RASTOCNY (Colonia, N.J.) had a bases loaded, one-out single up the middle to bring in the second run, before freshman right fielder SHANNON MOZEK (Wayne, N.J.) had a two RBI single to left field to extend the lead to 4-0.

Later in the inning, junior second baseman MEGAN DURKIN (West Orange, N.J.) had a sacrifice fly to drive in another run, while junior catcher AMANDA LIVSEY (Congers, N.Y.) drove in the final two runs with a single up the middle.

Junior third baseman Melissa Dietrich (Carteret, N.J.) and junior Allison Thibault each had a hit for the Cougars.

Montclair State returns to action on Sunday, April 19 as the Red Hawks travel back to Pomona, NJ to face Richard Stockton in the completion of their Monday doubleheader. MSU won that first game 6-4 in eight innings, but the second was called due to darkness with Montclair holding a 2-0 lead. The 3:30 pm game on Sunday will be played from the beginning.