Montclair, NJ – Kean University enterfielder Sandra Binkiewicz scored on a error for the decisive run in the opener while Montclair State senior second baseman Katie Muglia (South Plainfield, NJ, South Plainfield) drove in a pair of runs in the second game as No. 2 Red Hawks and 23^rd-ranked Cougars split an NJAC doubleheader at the MSU Softball Stadium on Saturday.

The Cougars (25-9, 10-4 NJAC) snapped MSU's 25-game winning streak with a 2-1, 9-inning victory in the opener before the Red Hawks (30-2, 13-1 NJAC) bounced back for a 4-1 victory in the nightcap.

An expected pitcher's duel in the opener between Kean's Courtney Yard and MSU's Alex Hill (Parsippany, NJ, Parsippany Hills) was delivered as the two allowed a combined eight hits with 27 strikeouts before the Cougars prevailed in extra innings. Yard (14-5), who also drove in the first run of the game with a double in the first inning, earned the victory as she fanned 10 and walked four allowing only a solo home run to Brooke Powers (Newton, NJ, Pope John XXIII) in the third inning that tied the game at 1-1. Hill meanwhile struck out 17 and walked two as she fell to 19-2 on the year.

After Powers tied the game in the third, Kean had an opportunity in the sixth as Megan Cegielski and Emily Sabo each singled to open the inning. But the promising inning for Kean quickly disappeared as Hill retired the next three batters to keep the game deadlocked.

In the eighth, Kean got the go-ahead run to third with two outs, however a foul pop up ended the inning. In the bottom half, a misplayed bunt by the Cougars gave Montclair State runners at the corners with no one out. But Yard dug deep and got a pop up before fanning the next two hitters as the contest moved to the ninth.

Kean went back on top of the inning as an error put the Cougars back in front. With a runner at second, Hill retired the next two hitters and nearly got the third out but a throwing error on Tiffany Variello's ground ball allowed Binkiewicz to cross as Kean led 2-1. The Red Hawks threatened in the bottom of the inning getting the tying run to third with one out. Yard intentionally walked Melany Zeller (Bloomfield, NJ, Bloomfield) but came back to fan the next hitter. Powers was walked to load the bases but again Yard came up with the big pitch getting a pop up to end the game.

The loss was the first for the Red Hawks since a 6-4, 9-inning defeat to Thomas More at the Rebel Spring Games in March.

MSU would bounce back quickly in the second game, scoring four times against Yard in the first inning. Powers, Alisha Cumberton (Toms River, NJ, Toms River East) and Dana Amato (Hillsdale, NJ, Pascack Valley) opened the bottom of the first with singles. After a fly out, Tara Petrucelli (Nutley, NJ, Nutley) singled to right field scoring Powers and Muglia's single plated Cumberton and Amato for a 3-0 MSU lead. Brianna Davidson (Monroe Township, NJ , Monroe Township) got the fourth run home with a ground out.

Alison Cullen (Branchburg, NJ, Immaculata) in the meantime worked her way out of some tight spots over the first four innings before Kean broke through in the fifth on an RBI double from Kelly Moorehead that scored Binkiewicz cutting the lead to 4-1.  Cegielski singled with two outs in the sixth which brought Hill in for relief. She retired the next hitter to end the inning and then gave up a double in the seventh before striking out the final batter for her fifth save of the year.

Cullen (11-0) picked up the win as she gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked two. Yard fell to 14-6.

Moorehead had three hits with Cegielski and Sabo getting two apiece for Kean while Powers was 2-for-3 for MSU.

Montclair State returns to action on Tuesday, April 22 at William Paterson in an NJAC doubleheader at 3:00 pm.