Rowan’s softball team swept Stockton University in a doubleheader this past weekend. Senior Emily August and junior Alexa Saccomanno threw a combined perfect game in the first game, and junior Mariah Wysocki, along with Saccomanno, hit home runs throughout the day.
August, who pitched 4.2 innings, recorded a career high eight strikeouts and earned the win in the first game. She was also selected as New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Pitcher of the Week. She is now 2-1 on the mound, as the Profs won 8-0 in five innings.
As for whether or not she felt any pressure on the mound, August said there was none of that.
“No, not at all,” August said. “I felt like my team always had my back, so no matter what I was confident in them.”
The Profs went up early on in the first game, scoring five runs in the first inning. Junior catcher Korie Hague singled, which brought two runners home, and Wysocki homered, with runners on first and second, totaling three RBIs. It was Wysocki’s first career home run in a Profs uniform, as she transferred from Lee University.
Coach Kim Wilson encouraged her team to not let up, even though they got out to an early lead.
“Any time we can shorten a game we like to do that,” Wilson said. “I thought our kids did a good job of driving through the ball, we hit a lot of long fly balls. We definitely pressured them at the plate.”
Rowan won the first game 8-0 in five innings, with August and Saccomanno combining for a perfect game.
“I thought they did a great job,” Wilson said. “Emily and Alexa combining for a perfect game was fantastic.”
Freshman Cat Thomas started the second game for the Profs in the circle, but was replaced by Saccomanno in the second inning. She would go on to pitch five innings, striking out three, only giving up one hit and not allowing a run. August returned to the mound to close out the second game, as she faced two batters and struck out one.
When talking about her pitching performance for the day overall, August credited her curve ball.
“My curve was working really well,” August said. “A pitch I could probably improve on was my change-up, because I was throwing it and none of them were swinging at it. My rise [ball] was also working kind of well, I was getting some swings off of that.”
So far this season she has a 1.38 earned run average (ERA), and has totaled 22 strikeouts over 20.1 innings.
In the NJAC she ranks second in strikeouts, third in opposing batting average (.127) and fourth in ERA.
Rowan’s pitching only allowed one earned run and three hits in the doubleheader. Combined with the aggressiveness from the hitters at the plate, Rowan was a force to be reckoned with this weekend.
With hits from senior Sonia Sharma, freshman Breanna Bryant, junior Morgan Zane, senior Kelly Duffy and a home run from Saccomanno, which was the first of her career, the Profs were able to put three runs on the board in their game two victory over Stockton.
August reflected on her team’s closeness.
“I’m impressed with how well we’ve been getting along with each other and being a family,” August said. “We’re not really allowed to spend any time outside of softball together, and it’s hard to be close with people you’re not spending time with, so I’m really proud that we’re sticking together.”
Wilson believes that her team is getting stronger each time they step onto the field.
“I think we’re getting better every time we play,” Wilson said. “And I thought our hitters did a really good job, and defensively I thought we played well.”
The Profs will aim to remain perfect at home (6-0), as they face Kean in a doubleheader in a conference matchup on Saturday.
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