UNION, N.J. (March 23, 2019) – Senior Courtney Rohde collected three hits over two games, but the FDU-Florham softball team dropped a pair of 8-0 decisions to Kean University on Saturday afternoon.

GAME 1: Kean 8, FDU-Florham 0 (Five Innings)
Junior Tara Morash led off the first game with a single for the Devils but was quickly nullified on a 4-3 double play. The hosts took the lead in their first at-bat scoring runs a squeeze bunt and an RBI single. The Devils threatened in the second, as sophomore Nicole Casale and Rohde each singled to lead off the frame. After a fielder's choice, Kean prevented any scoring by turning a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Sophomore Kaleigh Oplinger allowed base runners in both the second and third stanzas, but the Devils defense backed her up and held the Cougars off the board. FDU put a runner on in the third when junior Annamarie Santangelo reached on an infield single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Tobey. The next two hitters were retired to end the inning. 

Kean closed the game out with one run in the fourth and five more in the fifth. All five tallies in fifth were unearned, as the Devils committed a pair of miscues in the field.

GAME 2: Kean 8, FDU-Florham 0 (Six Innings)
The hosts opened the game two scoring with a pair in the second inning on an RBI triple, and a sacrifice fly to right field. Rohde led off the second with a double and advanced to third on a sac bunt by sophomore Dani Sames. Once again, the Devils were unable to push a run across, as the next two hitters were retired.

The Cougars exploded for five runs on seven hits to break the game open in the second. Freshman Ciara Hoffman entered in relief and ended the frame by getting the final two outs. Hoffman got the last out of the inning with a swinging strikeout. Kean put a runner on second with one down in the third, but timely fielding from Tobey turned into an 8-6 double play to prevent the run from scoring.

After Casale reached on a one-out error in the fourth, Rohde delivered her third hit of the afternoon to put runners on first and second. Kean bore down, and a line out and a fly out closed the inning out. In the fifth, rookie Dana Giardina led off with a walk before Tobey reached on an error to place runners at second and third with no outs. The Devils had a chance to break the shutout, but a runner was thrown out at the plate before a strikeout and ground out were the final two outs of the frame.

Hoffman escaped a runner on third with one out in the bottom by getting a line and ground out before Kean ended the game in the sixth with an unearned tally.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Rohde registered her first multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 in the nightcap. The senior also collected her first extra-base hit of the year with a double.
•    Oplinger struck out two in 4 2/3 innings in the opener allowing just two earned runs.

UP NEXT
The Devils begin Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play tomorrow, taking on Delaware Valley University at 1 p.m.