UNION, N.J. – The TCNJ softball team swept No. 8 Kean on Saturday in NJAC action. The Lions won a pitcher's dual in game one, 2-0, then won by a 6-2 final in game two. TCNJ improves to 7-1 on the year including 6-0 in NJAC action. The Lions gave the eighth-ranked Cougars their first two losses of the season, as Kean fell to 12-2 and 2-2 in the NJAC.

Game One:
The Lions pushed over a run right away in the top of the first inning. Kaci Neveling led off with a double, then moved to third after an Allie Immerso sacrifice bunt. Julia Mayernik drove in Neveling with an RBI sacrifice fly. Neveling has been a table setter for the Lions this season, as she owned a blistering .684 batting average prior to today.

Eliza Sweet was strong in the circle for the Lions. She went 4.1 innings and struck out six batters while not allowing any walks en route to her first win of the season.

Kean's best scoring opportunity off of Sweet came in the third inning. The Cougars had runners on second and third with one out, yet Sweet denied the opportunity. After an infield single didn't advance the runners, Sweet got out of the bases-loaded jam with a pop up and a groundout to keep the Lions out in front.

In the fourth inning, Lauren Conroy ripped a solo home run to right field to push the Lions' lead to 2-0. The round-tripper was Conroy's second of the year and the 10^th of her career.

Ally Schlee entered in relief of Sweet in the fifth inning and finished the game strong to earn her first career save. Schlee slammed the door with five strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched, and she allowed only one hit.

Game Two:
The Lions began game two like they began game one, by scoring in the first inning. Julia Kinnally knocked an RBI single, then Mayernik scored on an error off the bat from Elyse Nardozza. After the Cougars pushed over a run in the bottom of the first, TCNJ got it back with an RBI double from Immerso in the second inning.

In the circle for TCNJ was Alanna Namit who held the Cougars' bats at bay. Kean pushed a run across in the fifth to come within 3-2, but TCNJ once again had the answer in the bottom half of the inning. Immerso drove in another run with an RBI sacrifice fly.

A two-run home run off the bat of Nardozza gave TCNJ a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. The homer was her first of the season and the second of Nardozza's career. Namit finished the game in the bottom of the seventh to complete the doubleheader sweep for TCNJ.

Namit threw a complete game to improve to 3-0 on the season. She struck out eight batters while only walking three.

The Lions will return to the diamond for a road doubleheader at Rutgers-Camden on April 13.